The Far Side
by LetoSai
Summary: The worlds had changed. The world without magic turned to technology for the better, and the world of magic that had once been the ideal civilization had somehow become the barbaric side. The 'good luck' twins thought they had escaped that world. Wrong.
1. Dove

**Warning:** Shortish story. Rapidly moves into **mature content**. If you shouldn't be reading, then don't.

A story can be both light-hearted nonsense wrapped up in 'what the hell' scenarios of mature content. Was a short story written to pass the time, don't take it as more then what it is.

Enjoy. ^_^

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><p>She stared up at the stone ceiling as if hoping to suddenly gain the ability to see in the dark. She could just barely see the groves in the stones. The same boring groves that tailed down the wall in random patterns. The only light that drifted in her cell was the wavering fire light that the torches gave off that were hung sporadically down the corridors.<p>

"Thirty-one… thirty-two…thirty-three…" she counted softly, hearing the dripping from another cell. She had to wonder if it was raining up above, but there were no signs other than the loud dripping that hadn't been there before. It was far better than the callus sound of silence.

"Thirty-four …thirty-five…thirty-six…" She continued, trying to distract herself from the rocks jabbing into her spine and the irregular sound of her heartbeat. After the first five days she'd gotten used to the aching in her body from the beating she'd received but her head still pounded. It took nearly all of her strength to not lie there and worry about internal bleeding and rupturing that could be occurring.

"Thirty-seven…. thirty-seven…." Her eyes slid shut, letting tears escape for the millionth time. She never thought she'd have to get used to feeling cold, but there was nothing to cover up with. Her toes, fingers, and nose felt like they would fall off, and her jeans and light long sleeved shirt weren't much good for warmth in the underground fortress.

"Forty?" She thought after a moment, having already lost count. Focusing became harder when tired, hungry and dirty. The thought of a bath almost made her smile. The last time she'd been in light she'd been disgusted to see her hair looked nearly brown. It was a far cry from her natural ashy blond. She didn't want to think about what other grim was in her hair and on her skin.

"Get up." The warden keeper said, and it wasn't the first time she was surprised when hearing him speak. At first she thought his voice was merely heavily accented with something other language being his first tongue, but she soon realized it was a second language all together. To her, it sounding like bad English, but judging by the odd looks she had gotten before, they found her dialect just as curious.

She laid still, ignoring him for the moment. Had she been able to get up she would have done so hours before. She would have rolled over to try and eat to slop for food they had shoved in the cell earlier. The fact that she was stuck there didn't seem to occur to him.

"I said, get up, cripple!" He yelled, his brightly swirling eyes glowing and lightening her cell somewhat. His magic hasn't yet been drained from his body but it wouldn't with only short trips into the cells. He stormed in after a moment and grabbed the chain between her neck and wrist. She was shackled from both wrists, connected to a chain around her neck and two more around her ankles.

Nearly heaving and gagging she coughed violently until he released her and set her down on her wobbly feet.

"Get moving." He repeated, shoving her out into the corridor. Her eyes stung from the light, the pathetic firelight that wiggled and moved, throwing shadows on the wall like small monsters.

The other inmates either groaned or chuckled at the sight of her. They were all vile men who reeked of urine and mud. They catcalled wildly as she was marched down the dimly lit corridor like a felon. They were disgusting and broken slobs who would have happily welcomed death before freedom. Most probably didn't even remember why they were there, but she did. She understood the concept of 'innocent' until proven 'guilty', and she damn well wouldn't plead guilty for being born.

"How about you keep her this time, Keeper!" One of them yelled. The unmistakable sound of disgust was far too easily distinguished, and she'd become far to use to it in the last month or so.

"I'm not nearly so picky." Another commented. "I'll lay the cripple; shove her in here for a minute or two."

There was a ringing bombardment of laughing. Each of them, including the Keeper laughing at her expense.

"That's all anyone would need with a cripple."

She felt her lips quiver feebly but she refused to add fuel to the fire buy commenting. It would only encourage them. Never before had she felt as ashamed of herself as these men tried to make her feel. She looked down at her right hand and almost smiled a little at the swirling designs. From her shoulder down to the back of her knuckles was a swirling black design that was something between ancient tribal designs and meticulously beautiful spider webs.

It would have appeared to be a simple tattoo if not for the fact she was born with it.

"Keep moving." The Keeper growled, shoving her forward again as if she'd been the one stalling. He loved to let the others poke fun at her. A little humiliation never hurt anyone he said.

It took most of her concentration to keep from falling. The chains on her ankles made it hard enough to walk without being pushed around.

The hardest part was the stairs. There must have been three flights of stairs and she was cursing their inability to manufacture escalators. It was hard enough just walking in a straight line, now she had to actually climb. It was cruel, and they knew it.

The upper levels were much prettier though she only ever saw the hallways. The ones full of rich carpets and tapestries. Portraits hung on the wall proudly of people she'd never seen before and could have cared less about. They each glowed with a brilliance of remaining magic that had once been theirs.

Torches on the walls came much more frequently than they did on the lower levels but up there was for the nobles, and light was a luxury.

"Way to be slow in the inventing of electricity." She thought bitterly. At first she thought perhaps she had merely been spoiled with the advancements of the Far Side but now she didn't much care. Electricity wouldn't have made her more comfortable at this point.

The Keeper dragged her back into the main hall she'd been in many times before already. In the center of the room sat the Royal family on a number of cushions and pillows. They lounged back and giggled as they spoke in gentle tones with one another but the laughter stopped when they saw her being dragged in again.

"Raaie. Riaa." The Keeper bowed at the waist before continuing in. On his first entries with her he had attempted to force her into bowing as well but she refused, ending up in another thrashing. They normally wouldn't have cared but the Raaie didn't like such violence in front of his wife and daughters.

"Welcome back little Dove." Raaie Emil stated.

Dove had grown tired of these games already and stared down at the King and Queen. She even found it ironic that she could address them as such and they had the nerve to look offended. For the first few days she heard the word Raaie and King and Riaa as Queen, but apparently those titles weren't good enough for them. That, or they didn't understand them.

"Perhaps you'll feel like talking today, tiny one." Raaie Emil continued.

"She must be hungry, my most cherished." Riaa Opal said, a taunting lit in her voice. She waved her hand over the delicious smelling foods.

Dove immediately felt that familiar stab of hatred she'd come to be friends with.

"Moma, you're so kind." Maple chuckled. She was their oldest daughter and Dove would have loved to go to high school with her. One punch to her face was all she wanted; bruising that pretty face would have made her day. She looked just like her mother. Dark brown hair, rosy lips, fair skin. They belonged in a Disney movie, but even Disney would have shoved this family off a cliff. The youngest daughter Addie was also a mini clone of the two of them, and was no more than four years old. She clung to her father's side and stared back at Dove in complete confusion.

"Thank you my sweet." Riaa Opal smiled sweetly at her daughter.

"She doesn't need food, she needs a bath. She reeks." The middle son Wing chuckled. He had his mother's hair and complexion but his face was a full younger version of his father's. He was more than likely only a year or so younger then Dove herself but he grinned at her widely, a chalice of fresh wine appearing in his hand. He loved to try and get a rise out of her, thus far, he hadn't succeeded. "She's not too bad for a cripple."

"Bite your tongue." Raaie Emil said sharply.

"It is a damn shame." Jester commented, the oldest of the boys, stunningly blond and good looking. He was only just barely finished growing and looked her over shamelessly despite his family being in the room. "Dirty little thing though."

"Rat, mongrel." Maple shook her head.

"You would be too if you'd spend a month in the lower levels. Have you ever been down there? It's gross." Limber chuckled. The third and final son and probably no more than twelve. He licked his fingers shameless as he cleared it of his dessert. Dove had a hard time being jealous when she couldn't even identify what it had been.

"Can I go back to my fucking cell if you're just gonna sit and ignore me?" She finally sighed.

"You're accent is so strange." Wing muttered. She'd been used to it by this point but as far as she was concerned it was everyone else that was weird.

Jester chuckled. "That's what happens when you grow up on the Far side. There's no magic there at all anyway. Don't see why anyone would want to live there."

Maple laughed and it made Dove want to strike her all the more. "Perfect place for the cripple then."

Again they shared a chuckle at her expense.

"Come now, _hoiv'w_. Let us hope today she has loosened her tongue." Raaie Emil commented, turning his deceiving gaze back onto Dove. "Little cripple, we've only asked to simple questions. You say your twin and moma are dead, is that right?"

"Yes." Dove frowned, feeling the pain of her words deep in her heart.

"Your pap?" he continued.

"Died when I was very small." Dove shrugged, looking as nonchalant as she could manage. It was none of their business where any of her family members were. Her answers would remain the same.

"How did you get to the Far Side?" Riaa Opal asked.

Dove shrugged. "I told you. I've no memory of it."

"You're lying is ceasing to amuse me." Raaie Emil glowered, slowly getting to his feet. The Keeper knelt as the King approached but Dove didn't appear to be so inclined. He raised a full chalice to his lips and downed the contents quickly.

She suppressed the urge to swallow as he did. Her mouth and throat had been dry for days; barely able to sustain herself on the small amount of water they gave her as it was. That last thing she wanted was to give them the satisfaction of knowing their torture plans were working. Not that they couldn't already see that easily enough with her waning complexion.

Dove stayed silent, staring at his chest instead of his face. He even attempted to tug at her chin and when she continued to refuse eye contact he empty the contents of his chalice of her head, drenching her hair and matting it down further. Droplets fell down her face and onto the floor around her but she made no attempt to move.

"Stubborn child." He commented, ignoring the snickering from his children. "Even for a cripple I assumed you would be smart enough to gather your own self-worth."

"According to you, I'm worth nothing." Dove continued without hesitation. "You can think it all you like. I really don't care."

"Send her back below, pap." Wing said, making a disgruntled sound. "It's where she belongs with the rest of the trash."

"Please." Maple pleaded, "She smells wretched. I can't eat with her in here."

"Such a waste." Raaie Emil commented, though Dove couldn't be sure if he was talking about her or his lack of a drink. "Take her back, and I don't suppose she needs anymore meals today. And for the good graces above, don't bring her back here while we're eating."

The Keeper bowed lower. "My apologies." He waited until the Raaie had moved away before getting to his feet again and dragging her off by her hair. "Let's go you, and keep up before I start to really drag you." He growled softly.

She got one last look at the noble family before the doors lifted and slammed in her face. It was the same every time. They didn't even seem overly curious about her anymore, but humiliating her every day was an interesting pass time.

The Keeper dragged her off back to the lower levels, taking her a different direction then they had first come. It would give different inmates a chance to gripe and groan for a while. Each prisoner would make either a disgusted noise or laugh at her. It didn't make much sense, they weren't much better then she was.

They were chained just as she was. Locked in their own cells with their magic abilities dampened and dried up due to the barriers around them. All those in the lower levels were helpless magic wise, but lucky for her, she had other talents that would prove useful. Useful that is if she could get the proper opportunity.

"Little crippled maggot." The Keeper grumbled, opening a cell door to toss her back inside with a thump. "Do us all a favor and don't get eaten. I'll be back for you again tomorrow."

Dove bit her lip to keep from screaming and crying out as she hit the stone floor again. She was tired hitting her head on everything and was sure even if she got a bath she'd be all black and blue from bruises anyway.

She heard the door shut with a creaking slam and finally let the tears fall. She was back in darkness again and could already feel herself falling into the deafening silence.

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><p><strong>AN-** so this entire story was just for fun…you know when you're little and you make up a language with a friend? Yeah, 100% what I did here. Why not? My story…can do what I want…I was going to see who wanted to try to figure it out on their own but..what the hell?

A E I O U B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

I O U A E F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D

Match the letters from the second row to the ones above to work it out if you care. Lol. Woah, a story and a game!

I'll update fairly regularly. Thanks for reading.


	2. Baron

Woo  
>Second installment, the POV has changed here but you'll get the hang of it after a couple chapters.<br>^_^ Enjoy.

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><p>He stared into the bonfire flames with a glowing gaze. Those around him assumed it was merely peculiar the way the fire light reflected off his pale green eyes but they were really glowing in a fit of suppressed anger. He wasted so much time sitting there with no leads to follow. No jobs to occupy him. It made him anxious.<p>

Pulling at the strange clothes he grimaced at the feel of them. They were worn and old and he'd only added to the brutality of their life span. The only thing that remained of his original attire were his black boots that no one paid much attention to. The garb was simple but at the very least had a place. He arms were covered and when he felt the need he could draw up the back of his cloak to keep his face hidden. Not that it mattered, after a week he had gotten so dirty that he was sure no one would recognize him anyway. He'd been spoiled with showers and hot meals his entire life and roughing it pissed him off a tiny degree more.

Now he sat on a blanket that was spread out across the grass and dirt and that was his world. His house, his bedroom, his bed, his temporary territory that told all others to keep away. Days were pleasantly warm and nights were colder then he would have liked. It would have been easy if he had packed the way he wanted, but it would have made it harder for him to blend in. He could have materialized tents and other equipment he had at home but that damn blending in problem…

On his person, he had a few weapons hidden but he realized quickly that that wasn't going to feed him. Living off the land might have been easy on a land you were familiar with but there were fruits and shrubs he'd never seen before and had little knowledge on whether it would be the stuff of life or a poison that would kill him on ten seconds flat.

Dying really wasn't on his to do list. He was a strange boy like that.

He watched the flames move hypnotically while he reflected on his time here. The world was strange to him despite that tiny tingling sensation that should have made him feel at ease. The air smelled nice and the world almost sang to him. The trees swayed in the breeze and the rustling of the branches in the nights sky. Magic was in the air he breathed and it was a familiar feeling that should have soothed him; instead it made his throat dry.

The memories were supposed to be nothing more than a child's faint dream but he found himself remembering more than he ever thought he would. He wanted to return home as soon as possible back into the safety he'd grown accustomed me.

"Baron? Are you hungry?" Lavender asked, her voice oddly accented. She was a tiny little girl with soft skin, hair and features. When he first laid eyes on her he had thought she was only fifteen or sixteen but he was shocked to learn she was actually twenty, a year older then he was.

Hesitantly, she sat next to him, a plate in her hands for him. Realizing he had little knowledge over the surrounding area, she took it upon herself to see to it that he ate daily with the others.

"Thank you." He said softly. "I appreciate it."

She smiled a little, brushing her hands against her skirts. "It must be hard from you out of the mountains."

"I never said I was from the mountains." He said with a small frown, taking a bite from the plate and staring at the contents for a moment. The taste was good but never what he expected it to be.

"Well you're not from around here." She smiled. "You're voice is strange. Your tone and even the words you use sometimes are strange. The mountains are the furthest place you could have traveled from."

"Maybe so." He agreed. It was almost easy how everyone would explain away his presence themselves. He didn't need to make up an excuse or story when others did it themselves. It was easy enough to go along with whatever anyone said. He never directly agreed anyway.

Lavender smiled gently and he had to wonder if she was so nice to every stranger she came across. Her family and friends had stumbled across him after his first week and happily invited him to travel alongside them. They were nomads. Kosans, they called it, but he heard the words as nomad. There were many words that happened with but they never seemed to notice when he referred to them as such.

He'd come to think of them as gypsies. Many of them were performers by nature, roaming around to perform dances and songs for profit. The songs were strange and their instruments were stranger but he never said a word, hoping everyone would mistake his confusion for wonderment.

They'd grown in numbers over the years. Whenever a village was destroy or a home ravaged those people had nowhere to go. Traveling so their home were never again in the same place twice seemed ideal for them.

When they weren't performing then jobs were taken, some less reputable then others but then most or the newcomers were thieves. Those he took part in against his better judgment. Those would be details he would not share with his mother. Her soft heart didn't need to hear such things. Still, it was a good way to make money—regardless of the fact that he'd yet to figure out the currency system—and to be of some use to the nomads.

"You don't have to stay by yourself, Baron." She said softly. "You know you're welcome to join in on our nightly festivities."

She often tried to include him in things and as much as he normally would have hated to be rude, he couldn't help it now. There was too much on his mind for him to even pretend to be so carefree.

"Kind of you to offer, but no." he muttered, taking another bite from his plate.

She nodded slowly and her smile slipped. "I know you are searching for something or someone, but I hope the quest doesn't consume you."

"I hope it does. I've gotta keep looking." He muttered, running a hand through his ashy blond hair that touched the back of his neck. He smiled faintly at her, being sure to keep the top of his hand covered. It was the only part of this birth tattoo that was visible the moment. "Thank you, for the food and the concern."

She nodded, getting up slowly and reluctantly. He hated to think she was getting fond of him but he knew she was. She gave him the same look he'd gotten from girls since the seventh grade. The only difference was that those girls he saw moderately often, and he didn't have any plans on ever coming back here once he was done.

Lavender headed back over to her sisters to chat, no doubt about him. He was used to that but it wasn't just the girls that had an interested in him. Moss had been watching him on and off and it was unsettling. Moss was the Kosan leader. He was probably in his late forties but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. He'd long since lost his home and had turned to this life decades prior.

It was his final word that allowed Baron to travel with the nomads but he got the feeling that the man felt wary of him.

Over the last few weeks of his stay Baron had become something of the nomad loner and that was just fine with him. Everyone was polite and offered him a smile but they were still uneasy with his presence at times. But like many others, they assumed it was merely because of something semi traumatizing in his youth that made him that way. They knew enough not to pry.

Being standoffish wasn't in his normal personality but being in a new place made him anxious. He only needed to get closer to his goal before he could go.

As he went on jobs with the others and observed, he learned. He knew enough to never show the mark on his arm that he was born with. That was asking for a death sentence but there were other things he learned quickly enough. Things like where the King put prisoners and who the bounty hunters in the area where. If nothing else it was helpful in learning who to avoid. These nomads even knew a handful of bounty hunters and that could have been useful to him.

Much of his time he spent on his own, reminding himself that this wasn't really a time for him to be making friends. So far only one man really talked to him and that was only after watching his back on a job. He had reached out and grabbed Baron by the scruff of the neck to keep him out of arms way.

"Instinct, maybe." Dusty had just shrugged it off. He was in his early thirties and Baron found out his wife was about to give birth to their first child. It was news the man was excited about and Baron could only imagine the news.

Dusty was a standoffish sort of man himself. He liked his privacy and wasn't open with his business but Baron couldn't stop himself from talking to him. He was rarely around a man who was happy to be a father, and he hardly remembered his own father. It was a nice way to replace those memories he couldn't remember.

Baron stared at the fire and wished he had the energy to entertain himself. He needed to get closer to the castle, and needed to find a way in.

A shriek jerked him from his thoughts and he looked up to see the women running about in a hurry but most of the men merely look uncomfortable. Getting up slowly he wandered closer, wondering if it was something as simple as a snake scaring one of the woman.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Moss turned towards him, rubbing a finger down his chin. "Nothing to concern yourself it. Ribbon has going into labor."

"Dusty's wife?" Baron asked, he hadn't thought she was even eight months along but what did he know about that. "Is it her time?"

"Obviously so." Moss shrugged.

Baron nodded. "Right." He muttered, making a mental note not to ask potentially stupid questions around these people. They didn't know things the way he did, and it made him worry about poor Ribbon. Scary things like going into labor needed to be done in a hospital, but there weren't hospitals here, only midwifes who supposedly knew what they were doing.

Everyone scattered out to give them privacy but Baron hesitated to leave and stayed close. There was nothing he could do to help but it was better to stand there close just in case rather than to wander off completely.

This wasn't his areas, but he couldn't bring himself to walk away.

Dusty stayed inside the tent, holding onto Ribbons hand while the midwife coached her instructions. Her screaming would be enough to put anyone off and Baron was thankful for hospitals if there were to ever happen to him. He could imagine Dusty pulling his hair out.

Nothing had ever sounded so painstakingly hard to him before. A place like this really needed to invest it's time in pain killers, but then he wasn't sure how they could work their own magic to benefit them.

Over three hours later the midwife slipped out, a deep frown on her face as she went straight to Moss to speak with him quietly. He could hear the crying, everyone could and he couldn't help himself anymore. There was no real way to announce yourself before slipping into a tent but he tried. Clearing his throat and moving in slowly.

Ribbon laid back still, her blond hair matted down from sweat and tears pouring down her face silently. Dusty looked sadly stoic, his eyes on the twin babies and lay on a large cushion.

Twin boys, born with joint magic, the proof running down their opposite arms in their own unique pattern.

It made sense to him now, this was a death sentence plan and simple for one of them, maybe both of them. Dusty and Ribbon had been so happily excited and it was all about to be taken from them.

"They're perfect." Baron commented, remembering it was always what his moma had said when she saw a newborn baby.

Dusty's eyes widen when Baron reached down to pick one of the boys up. "You shouldn't."

"Why?" Baron asked, smiling down at the baby who stirred and gagged. They'd barely been wiped off and Baron took it upon himself to do it. He felt a small connection with the babies and wouldn't see them so neglected.

Moss was the next to enter the tent but he said nothing, choosing instead to watch.

"They'll be killed." Ribbon sobbed, her cries suddenly louder. "My babies. Their just babies."

"Dangerous little brutes aren't they?" Baron chuckled, setting the first down and reaching for the second. "You're gonna need to feed them, aren't you?"

"Would a missed meal change anything." Dusty whispered. The words were cold and heartless, but Baron heard the voice in his friend breaking.

"Considered they won't be killed tonight, I'd say so." Baron said, wiping off the second boy.

Three pairs of eyes remained on him.

"Are you going to be the one to kill them, Dusty?" Baron gazed at him.

"Certainly not." Dusty answered so quickly that it surprised both Ribbon and Moss.

"Then I very much doubt they'll die tonight. They haven't gotten a chance to do anything but be born. Aren't you supposed to protect them?" Baron smiled a little. "C'mon, you're their parents. If you don't, who will? They can't defend themselves yet, they don't even have balance yet. Are you going to let them lay here and never know a touch?"

Ribbon reached out instantly, crying harshly. She didn't want her babies to die. She couldn't handle being so cold hearted even if it was expected of her.

Baron leaned forward, passing the boy along to her and picking the first up again. "Like I was saying, they're probably hungry."

Moss left without a word, seemingly not willing to argue with them.

Dusty reached out and held his other son in his arms for the first time. He cradled the boy and stroked his fingers down his cheek at the impossible small boy.

"I'm not about to watch these two die." Baron said softly. "Not for not good reason at all."

Ribbon cried still, rocking her baby in her arms. She looked up at Baron and smiled through her flowing tears. "Thank you so much…"

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p>

I don't think the word code was used much here but I'll put it up anyway.

A E I O U B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

I O U A E F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D

And so no one gets confused…**titles**…are their own made up word….

King- Raaie

Kosan-Nomad

It's other random words that use the letter mix.


	3. Dove Deal making

Woo, thanks everyone who's been taking an interest.  
>Again, I'll be updating fairly often.<br>When I feel like it an all.  
>Enjoy.<p>

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><p>Dove stared up at the ceiling after blinking the sleep from her eyes. The cell was pitch black still and she had no idea how long she'd been asleep. It could have been minutes—could have been hours. Either way, her head pounded with an unfriendly thump and her stomach growled loudly from going so long without something good to eat.<p>

Sighing shakily she could have cried when she realized once more that her mouth was so dry she didn't even have spit to swallow. Her throat began to burn like it was cut and she was sure she didn't remember swallowing rocks.

This torture was definitely taking its toll on her. Weeks before she would have told anyone she was too strong to break. Her will was fierce and her temper wasn't something to be taken lightly. She could get through anything with a grin on her face, but suddenly she wasn't so sure. She knew for certain she would hold her tongue on her family's history but more and more she was realizing how she would be dead in a few days. Especially if they kept depriving her of water.

The door screeched open and she cringed. It couldn't have been time for them to drag her out already. Through bleary eyes she saw the silhouette of a man but he paid no attention to her other than a passing glance.

"Shit." He grumbled to himself, sliding a tray of something probably disgusting across the floor to the back of the dark cell and a small jug of water followed, "Was hoping to find her carcass."

Dove frowned a little, feeling the dread slowly fill her chest. She wasn't supposed to get food today, but she had a pretty good feeling it wasn't meant for her anyway.

"Maybe next time." He muttered, quickly slamming the door shut with a clank, leaving her in darkness again. Her lips quivered in embarrassment. She'd sobbed when she thought she was alone and who knows what else in her sleep. If she wasn't alone…

She heard the slow movement, and only because the cell was completely quiet otherwise. The moving was so slow she pretended she could see it. The hand slowly outstretching to the jug, the slight sloshing of the water.

Twice now, she realized that by two different men, comments were made about her not making it out of the cell alive. It made her shiver, wondering what kind of creature she was imprisoned with. The thoughts of her injuries became second only to the thudding of her heart that felt as if it was lodged in her throat.

The possibility of death coming sooner then she thought was nearly enough to make her break down again. Was it really necessary for everyone to want her dead? Did they have to prolong it? Couldn't they just get it over with and stop the panic.

She nearly expected to be attacked at any moment, or at the very least dragged out by her hair again to stand through another humiliating session with the King. It was enough to drive her insane and instead of crying she bit her bottom lip rough, inhaling the damp air and wishing for sleep.

Anything would have been better than the two options she was given.

Dove gasped and nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand touching her hair.

"Easy." The voice muttered. It was a man's voice obviously, and was as rough as she imagined hers was. There was no telling how long he'd been inside that magic draining cell but he was apparently in better shape than she was.

"Aren't you a pitiful sight?" He muttered, lifting her head up much to her sudden protest, but she immediately froze when she felt him press the jug of water to her lips. There was only a small amount of water, but even the few drops sliding down her throat made her feel like she was swimming in it.

"You've a fever." He continued, pressing the jug to her cheek. The porcelain being a lovely cool contrast to the mugginess of the cell. She tried to stare up at the man but she couldn't make him out in the dark—at least nothing other than his vibrant gold eyes and smoothly thick accent.

"What a mess." He grumbled softly, using his voice for the first time in weeks. He hadn't been so close to the cell door since before being tossed inside in an unconscious state. They were too afraid of him to do more then toss him his daily food source. The minimum amount for him to survive on.

Dove coughed softly and sucked on her tongue in sheer delight of not being so damnably parched anymore. For the moment it didn't seem so bad hopeless bad, but then again, she wasn't yet sure what manner of creature she was trapped with.

"Who—are you?" she asked softly, startled by the sound of her own voice. It suddenly contained a terror that hadn't been there before. Not even when talking to the Royal family.

He didn't answer, only brought the jug back to her lips. "You'll have to survive on just the water. The shit they're calling food would tear apart a human stomach."

"Who?" she muttered again.

"Right now I'm the only one helping you. Who the hell knows why. Perhaps I have gone mad finally." He sighed heavily. "What a bother."

Dove blinked slowly, rubbing her eyes slowly and not even attempting to sit up. She foresaw her head pounding and splitting in half if she did. There was no reason to prolong that pain or add to it. "Thank you." She muttered. "For the water."

"You're the talk to of the underground scum, _happ_." He chuckled humorlessly. "You've lasted longer than any other cripple that has been thrown in here and I hear you practically spit in the face of the Raaie. I have a great deal of respect for that."

"Old bastard." Dove muttered and listened as at the man laughed abruptly.

"Truly." He agreed. "But I'll have to account that to the fact that you—more than likely— are not actually a cripple at all. Your other half still hiding away on the outside I would assume."

"I have no other side." Dove said softly, eyes drifting shut to keep from looking up at his gold ones. She made a slight face and frowned at his nerve.

He laughed again. "Tell the Raaie and Riaa whatever you want. I don't give a damn, but you're face tells the truth, _happ_."

She shook her head slowly. "To dark for you to know something like that." She muttered.

"Not dark enough I can't see, _happ_." He said, almost tauntingly. "I see perfectly."

Dove's eyes shot open and was met with nothing but the glowing gold of his eyes. "How can you see in the dark?"

He chuckled. "I've got the eyes for it. Surely you can figure it out. They shoved you in here hoping I would eat you but there's no meat on you. I don't revel in the thought of gnawing on bones. I'm not in the mood."

"There's a visual I didn't need." She muttered softly, swallowing what was left in her mouth and coughing again. Surprisingly, he lifted the jug up to her lips again for her to sip from. This man was much more then he appeared to be, but she didn't have the inkling of fear she did around everyone else in the backwards world.

"You've really no idea, do you?" He muttered, eyes on hers. She could tell since every time she glanced up at him, his gold eyes were right on her pale green ones.

She didn't answer; sure she'd just made a mistake. Whatever he was, everyone could tell it in an instant except for her. She could feel his magic that was buried and suppressed, and other then it feeling very old, she couldn't fathom what it was. It was different from her jointed magic or her moma's charm magic.

"Where have you been hiding, you _wroinc happ_?" He mused, a deep chuckled sounding in his throat. She frowned hard at the words. Mostly when someone said a strange word she could decipher it easily. Other than an endearment of some kind, she wasn't sure what he said. His voice took on an even deeper accent when he spoke the strange words, his lips curving around each syllable. Her moma occasionally spoke in a similar language but only certain words were every clear to her.

"What are you then?" she whispered, sighing just a little. Her nerves were frying easily. "Why do they expect you to be my executioner?"

He laughed in his chest again and shook his head at her naiveté. "I am a dragon, _happ._ A starved, caged beast."

Dove stiffened at the words and her mind let loose with a string of profanities. Her moma had often told her stories about dragons but she never expected she would be in such a position with one. He really could eat her whole.

He sighed. "I told you, you're nothing but bones. It would be almost a waste to break the skin. And not that I'm proud of it, but I'm much too tired and hungry down here to do much."

"How did they catch you to start with?" She muttered before she could stop herself. It was more than likely a horrible idea to piss a dragon off.

He let out a soft hiss and sighed, heavier this time. "I was incapacitated while hunting. My meal had been bewitched in some way. The bastards. I woke up here."

For the first time she heard the faint clanking of his chains, and realized just by the sound that they must have been much heavier than her own.

She bit her lip slightly and stared back up at the ceiling "I'm sorry."

"No one is ever really sorry, _happ_. Certainly not for something they didn't do." He shook his head, his voice rough with an unreleased growl. "I don't want your apologies."

"Someone should be." Dove muttered, and closed her eyes, she felt the stress in her body and tried to pull herself up.

"You're a strange girl." He sighed, pushing her back to lie down. "Just lay there; you're in no shape to be moving around."

"No." she agreed softly, her voice rough as she was overcome with a new wave of fear. "I want to get out of here."

"You and everyone else." He chuckled, making light of their imprisonment.

She inhaled slowly, the pain in her head and back more than she anticipated. "My name is Dove. Will you tell me yours now?"

For a long time he was silent but she was sure he was staring at her. She could feel the golden gaze burning into her. "Xander."

Dove smiled faintly, looking up at the strange. "Then it's nice to meet you. My moma once told me that dragons can be persuaded into making deals and are an honorable sort. What say you? I work on getting these chains off, and you help me get out of here?"

Xander gave her a look like she'd lost her mind entirely. "How do you expect to do that, _happ_? We can't exactly magic these restraints off. Even if we could this entire level drains every nibble of magic. The upper levels would be an entirely different story, but it's unlikely isn't it. Plus, a starved dragon is a poor one to make a wager with. It's overly foolish in fact."

She shuddered slightly after using most of her strength to sit up. "Fine. I get us upstairs. Then you help me escape. Adequate?"

He frowned. "Are you serious? It's a death wish for you."

"Better out there then in here," she nodded slowly, suddenly terrified. She needed to try no matter what, but she was too uneducated about the world. She'd need help if she was to make it outside alive.

He sighed again, sounding put out as if she'd asked him something impossible—maybe she had. "I must shuffle this deal of ours. I'm starved, first living thing I see, I'm eating."

"As long as it isn't me, I don't care." She shrugged. The thought should have appalled her but she'd been starved and beaten for long enough.

"Hmph." He nodded. "I will also require a sacrifice of sorts."

Dove tilted her head slightly. "Wouldn't eating the first thing you see be a sacrifice?"

He chuckled wickedly. "One not provided for by you. I require a virginal sacrifice."

Her eyes widened slowly when she understood his meaning. The husky sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine but she frowned all the same, trying to remain unaffected. "Well I can't help you there either I'm afraid."

Xander smiled widely, leaning down silently. She didn't notice until she felt his breath on her neck and his tongue swirl around her flesh once.

"Liar." He purred and her breath hitched helplessly in her throat.

"You make this arrangement in every deal you make?" she muttered, wishing to glare at him, but not sure where to look.

"When the mood strikes me." He laughed softly. "You get me freed, feed, and laid and I'll get you the world, _happ_. In my base form the damned mage humans are no threat to me whatsoever."

"I can get us out of here." Dove muttered, stomach sinking in dread. She wasn't sure if she was making a deal with the devil or not but it was still looking better than death. "Up a level shouldn't be too much of a problem. Then it's all you."

"Freed, feed, laid." He repeated.

"Deal." She sighed softly, swallowing her resolve. Her body ached enough already so what the hell? "I'll take it they'll be no renegotiating with you after this then, eh?"

"Certainly not." He laughed darkly. "When do you plan on breaking us out, oh_ jaapuwl puxxpo happ_?"

"Soon." She muttered. "Once I'm sure I can walk, and do me a favor and stop calling me whatever it is you're saying."

There was a long pause before he laughed, maybe just then realizing she couldn't understand his words. "No promises."

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading<p>

In case you care, letter scrambler below. (not that it really matters)

A E I O U B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

I O U A E F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D

Questions anyone?

**Dancinfree-** Yeah, Baron saves babies…lol…He can seem like an asshole at times for sure but he's more angry right now than anything else, you know? Thanks for reading!


	4. Baron First impressions

Woo, update!  
>I will be updating pretty frequently but…I forget.<br>Feel free to nag if I'm late.  
>Enjoy.<p>

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><p>"They're close!"<p>

Baron glanced up when a younger boy around the age of thirteen came barreling back into the camp with a nervous grin.

"They're almost back. I can see them!"

"Back?" Baron asked, as far as he knew everyone was accounted for and present. He knew almost everyone's name and certainly knew their faces.

"The hunters." Lavender smiled warmly from his side. "They've been traveling for weeks doing a number of jobs. They'll give all their profits to Moss and it will go towards our living expenses. You could say they're the strongest of us."

"Magically?" he assumed.

"And not just magically." Lavender nodded. "They're not only brilliant thieves but exceptional hunters and marksmen. They're a team of fighters, you could say."

"Ah, sure." Baron chuckled. He had been told something of the bounty hunters that the nomads knew. They might have decent knowledge for him. He'd take anything he could get at this point; any hints, any clues.

"I'll bring you something to eat." She muttered, getting up quickly. He assumed she was trying to distract him. Why, he didn't know. It could have been as simple as her wanting his attention to stay on her but what did he know.

He had expected many of them, something like a gang in movies with the leader bring up the rear but there were only three of them that entered the clearing. One of them a step or two in front of the others. They were covered completely in clothes and veils and that made him hide a smile. It was great for hiding your appearance but he couldn't imagine it was a practically getup to fight or maneuver in.

The one in front was the first to reveal themselves and Baron almost found himself stunned to see it was a woman. Her hair was gold and he assumed that was one of the reasons she kept it covered. Hair like that could be seen a mile away. She was pretty too, with soft features that didn't seem to match a fighting title.

The three of them approached Moss and they spoke with him quietly for a moment, passing over pouches and words before anyone in the campsite seemed to relax. There was a tension that had built up around them

No one said a word about her arrival but it was obvious they knew her despite the small amount of flinching that had been done simultaneously. Baron raised a brow and smiled a little, saying nothing as it wasn't his place to comment. He needed to abide by the nomads rules politely or risk being tossed out on his own.

They hadn't even noticed him until Lavender returned to his side, holding a skirt full of fruit to offer him one as she sat down beside him.

"Don't be nervous." She said continued softly.

"Nervous?" he glanced down at her, taking one of the small looking fruits he was offered. "Why would I be nervous?" To be honest, he wasn't impressed.

"They've that horrid title but they're kind people." She nodded solemnly.

He raised an eye. "Which title would that be?"

"Lirhov`w." she said. "Heq`f Raaie doesn't even know that the warriors he hired are the bandits that give him the most trouble."

"I see." Baron said, though he didn't exactly understand at all. They were double agents? How very James Bond of them. Why did everyone have to have a special title? He was gonna have to practice on saying that one right.

"A new comer, Lavender?" the woman asked, heading straight for them.

Baron kept his eyes cast to the side. He tried to keep his attention away from his arm. Even knowing they were both covered he didn't want to give them any reason to be suspicious of him.

"Yes. Baron is from the Luko Sairx of the Northern Mountains." Lavender muttered meekly, looking timid around the woman.

It amused him that every time he was introduced to someone his place of origin changed a little. He never agreed or disagreed. He'd let them think they knew everything.

"The Luko Sairx, mm? Cold there." The woman commented as if she didn't believe it anyway.

Baron smiled. Goodie, she didn't like him already. "As it so often is in the North."

She frowned a little, strands of her hair falling out of the tight knot she had her hair curled up in. "Baron was it?" she asked.

"Mhm, and you would be?"

"Arizona." She said. "What brings you here?"

He smiled wide. "Employment opportunities?"

"He's been of great help to us and to Moss. Hard working too." Lavender said suddenly, obviously hoping to defuse all of the tension that was building between them.

"Is that a fact?" Arizona said dully, still more than likely not believing a word of it. Judging on her stance alone, she was looking for a fight.

"Oh, but don't take my word for it." Baron smiled.

She gave him a pointed stare. "I don't intend to."

"Then we'll get along splendidly." Baron commented, biting into the fruit Lavender had given him moments before.

"I don't like people thinking they can join my family when they have such an attitude." Arizona sniffed. "It's nothing but trouble."

"Life's a bitch." He shrugged. "It's a bit too late to play the worried mother hen when I've been here for so long already. At this point I would think I was rather safe."

"That has yet to be proven to me." She said softly. Her voice was low and it was meant to be intimidating. She was trying hard to be scary and threatening but he just found it cute. He'd long since been desensitized by TV and movies.

"Noted." He smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

"It's really not that trouble you think it's been." Lavender said softly. "Even Dusty—"

"Lavender, I would like to speak to our guest alone." Arizona said gently, eyes moving to the girl slowly.

"Arizona—"

"Go on Lavender." Arizona said, nodding her head back towards the others.

Baron didn't need to look at the others to know that everyone was watching the scene they were causing with special interest.

The girl must have really been something for her to have such authority. Lavender walked away, still holding a full skirt as she made her way back over to sit with her sisters.

"I won't let you prey on younger woman." Arizona scowled.

Baron raised an eye and smiled, deciding not to mention that she was the one infatuated with him. It probably wouldn't go over well saying he wasn't interested in her. "What?"

"Lavender."

"My friend." He nodded.

She glared still. "She swoons for you."

"Are we talking about the same girl?" He asked, grinning wide. "You are so damn paranoid."

Arizona gave him a disgusted look. "She's an innocent."

"You must have been scorned badly by someone to think that I must be using Lavender just because she's nice to me." Baron commented. Could he never get away from high school drama?

"Who are you?" Arizona glared.

He sighed. "Didn't we just do this?"

She glared harder and crossed her arms. "I want the truth."

"Life's a bitch." He repeated absent-mindedly. "I want a lot of things but you don't see me harping on them?"

"You will tell me who you are and what you desire here." She narrowed her eyes, thrusting her power towards him to push into his mind, or at least, to get him to talk.

Baron pushed her back just as easily. Arizona was good with her prodding telepathy but not as good at his moma. "Better luck next time." He smiled.

She glowered at him fiercely to cover up her surprise and tried again.

"Outlook not so good."

"I see you've more skill then I assumed." She said, her voice clipped in agitation.

He chuckled, "I need to get you a magic-8 ball, sweetie. You might guess my next few answers and save yourself the trouble."

She raised an eye curiously, a frown still marring her features. "A what?"

Laughing softly he shook his head. No one here had the sense of humor he was looking for and it made them—Arizona in particular—easy to poke fun at. "It's just a toy, forget it."

"You will tell me why you're here." She said after a pause. She needed a moment to think and get back on track.

"Honestly woman, you need to relax." Baron sighed. "I'm looking for someone. Traveling with this lot makes that easier for me. As soon as I find her, I'll get out of your hair."

Her frown deepened. "Her? Please tell me this isn't some pathetic crusade to find your woman."

He laughed abruptly and grinned wide, startling her so much she actually took a step back. "Not nearly so pathetic."

She twitched, this time looking uneasy before him. "Then why not allow me to see that for myself in your mind?"

Baron nodded understandingly before forcing his powers through her defenses into her mind.

_She could see why Lavender was so taken with him. He was quick witted and attractive._

"Scoundrel!" She hissed shoving him away mentally.

"Rude isn't it?" he smiled, making her stare at him blankly before understanding kicked in. He could deal out anything she could and wouldn't be marked down as some weak boy in her book.

"Don't worry about me, Lirhov`w, I'll be out of your way soon." He did a victory lap in his mind just for being able to say the word like he meant too without messing it up.

She flinched at the name and said nothing as she stalked away from him. He probably shouldn't have teased her but he rarely ever went such a long way to get entertainment to pass the time.

"Might have gone too far on that one."

Baron glanced back to Haze, a boy only a year or so younger than him. They'd talked on a few occasions but nothing more than pleasantries.

"Did I?"

Haze shrugged, strolling up behind him. "Arizona's my cousin. She's a bit old fashioned, if you know what I mean."

Baron laughed softly. This entire place was old fashioned to him so he could only guess what he actually meant. "You think so?"

"Well, a few are I guess. They take the Raaie and his business too seriously. It effects them." Haze commented. "We all have that bad past but the three of them see bad pasts all the time. Not just their own, but other peoples."

"I thought it was something like that." Baron shrugged. "That doesn't give her a free pass to try and slip into my mind though. If I can't do it to her, she certainty can't do it to me."

Haze grinned a little. "You have guts, my friend. Don't think otherwise, but you're a strange one too. Guess it all down to where you come from. The mountains must be strange."

"I dunno, I've always thought I was normal." Baron mused, smiling at the irony of it. "I'll try not to insult her again if you'd like."

"Would appreciate it." Haze nodded. "She packed full of Pearlnye pride. So don't take her agitation's too personally."

Baron nodded slowly and didn't have the chance to ask what a Pearlnye was but he assumed it would come up again or it wouldn't. Haze strolled over to meet the others and greet his cousin properly. There seemed to be a bit of distance between them but no one else seemed to notice. It could have even been his imagination but he someone doubted it. He was very good at watching people.

As far as anyone was concerned, it was the welcome home of their warriors. It was a happy day for them despite the tension.

One thing for sure was that he couldn't live in a place like this. Even the people who roamed around freely didn't seem to be able to grasp the true freedom they were searching for. Always having to hide behind something was no way to live.

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p>

**Whirlingwings-** Ups and downs are right. But deals are better than dying, yes? Thanks for the review!

**Dancinfree-** Hey Hey, get to know him before you freak out XD and well you might be pleasantly surprised.

**Reader**- (your name is so mysterious XD) I'm glad to hear the word key is working, especially since it wasn't all that..necessary..lol…the story moves pretty quick and I like to think I'm answering a couple questions each chapter. Thanks for reading ^_^

**Miss Sayuri-**San- thanks for reading!


	5. Dove Escape

Woo for the next installment ^_^

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><p>"I've been around." Xander commented, staring at Dove as she struggled. "I've seen a lot of things, but none of them as strange as you are."<p>

It had been a day and a half and the Keeper hadn't returned for her to drag her back for another meaningless meeting with the Raaie and Riaa. Maybe they were finally getting tired of her and would just leave her to rot. She laid sprawled out on the floor again when another man returned to toss in a water jug and half a loaf of bread.

Xander had grumbled the whole time about sharing it with her but with the promises of a better meal, he was in a fairly good mood. When he asked her how she planned to her out of the chains she pulled a small metal rod from down the front of her shirt that had been hidden in her bra and actually began attempting to pick the lock on her chains. He'd been watching her ever since.

Dove shrugged of his comment and continued working. She held the rod partly in her teeth and used her fingers as much as she could reach. It was a skill she had picked up as a child under the amused gaze of her aunt and it was certainly coming in handy now. With a 'click' and a 'thunk' the lock opened and fell away from her wrists.

"You—actually did it." Xander stared, unable to keep the shock out of his tone. It was rare he saw someone do something by hand rather than using their magic to aid them. With complete confidence she freed herself and began working on the chains on her legs.

"Told you I would." Dove muttered grumpily. She was used to the crappy door lock on the back of her house. Giant metal shackles were never laying around the house for her to practice with and the delay irked her more then she cared to talk about. Xander might have been impressed but she was pissed it took more than three minutes.

Xander nodded slowly, more so impressed that she was doing more of the work by feel since she was unable to see more then darkness in front of her face. A slow smile crossed his lips as he watched and the probability of them escaping became more and more appealing.

With another 'clank' the chains feel away and she smiled a little, her lips curving just enough to show how pleased she was.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Here." He responded in amusement, forgetting she couldn't see him either.

She scowled at nothing. "That's not helpful." She muttered, getting to her knees and slowly crawling around until he caught her arm. "I could just leave you here but I need your help."

"You'll need me to bend the bars to the door to get you out of here." He mused.

"You can do that?"

"I should have the strength enough for such a small task." He nodded.

She nodded slowly, moving just a little to lessen the pain in her back. The pressure in her muscles was starting to become too much for her.

"I would definitely have the strength would my sacrifice come a little early." He added, the humor in his voice obvious.

"Gross. Definitely not down here." She made a face.

Xander laughed loudly. "Oh, why not? It was part of the bargain, wasn't it? We never specified when."

Dove made a face when the heat slid up to her face. "Freed, fed, and laid. As far as I'm concerned we can stick to that order, okay?"

"Sure _happ_." He chuckled, holding his wrists up so she could feel for the lock and begin working on it. "Do hurry would you? I'm starved and even your skin and bones are starting to look good."

"Not bloody likely." Dove muttered, sitting by his side as she worked on the lock. She hoped it would be easier with them not being on her but his chains were immeasurable heavier than the ones that had been put on her.

Xander leaned forward, his open mouth clamping down on her shoulder teasingly.

"Don't eat me!" Dove growled at him, her voice strained and flustered as she tried to remain focused on the lock in question. She arched away from him when his tongue darted across her skin. "Quit it!"

He chuckled low, leaning back and licking his lips. "Just a little incentive to hurry your pretty little ass up. I'm getting incredibly impatient."

"Hours ago you thought I was crazy for even attempting to plan an escape. So shut up." She muttered, trying to focus on the lock but it got increasingly harder with her body still in pain and a now lingering sensation over her shoulder.

"And?"

"Stupid reptile." Dove muttered just before hearing the cuffs 'clank'.

"Good girl." Xander chuckled, stretching slowly with his hands free over his head. His bones cracked with their new freedom and his hissed from the pleasure of it. "Hurry."

Dove stared, feeling her hands shaking for a moment with his sudden surge of power. His chains must have also been suppressing his abilities, and if this was him still drained, then he must have been a frightening thing in top shape.

"Hurry." He repeated and she went to work on freeing the chains around his feet. He let out the softest of growls and she was really starting to think she'd regret the bargain she'd made.

"That's not helping my nerves." She muttered.

He growled again, but this time it was softer. "Damn your nerves, _happ_. They're coming this way. You have seconds to get these damnable things off me."

Her hands shook worse but she leaned down further, fiddling with the tiny metal rod and praying to hear the click of his freedom.

When the door slammed open only the smallest amount of the cell was dimly lit. Xander grabbed Dove and pulled her along the back corner with him. She was shaking harder but his firm grip on her upper arm kept her working on the lock.

The guard stiffened when he didn't see Dove lying unconscious in her normal spot.

"What have you done with her?" he accused into the empty cell.

Xander growled softly and it was a much more terrifying sound then the playful growls he had expressed earlier. "What? The pretty sack of skin full of bones wasn't for me?"

The guard inhaled slowly and shrank away slowly. Dove had to assume it was because the dragon had never spoken to them before but she had no real way of knowing.

"I'm still hungry." Xander hissed softly. "She was hardly satisfying."

Xander lashed out, taking a large fistful of the untouched food and throwing it in the guards face across the cell. In the sunlight it would have been obvious what it was—in the poor light—it could have easily been mistaken for blood and guts.

The guard let out a distressed wail the instant the final 'clank' of chains fell apart. The moment he was freed, Xander was on his feet, rushing towards the guard in a blur and tackling him into stone floor. He did nothing more than a gurgled cry before Xander had his throat ripped out and his feast began.

With a limp and queasy stomach, Dove slipped passed the scene, moving into the empty corridor. She covered her ears to keep from hearing the horrid sounds. A starved dragon was probably much worse than a starved person. She would die, but he was probably going crazy. Unable to stop it, she bent over to hurl. It might have been dark but the smell of fresh blood mixed into the moldiness of the cells created a dreadful odor that wouldn't be denied.

Her body contorted with every dry heave and her body was screaming at her to stop. There was nothing in her stomach to push out but she couldn't stop the action. Pressing her hands against the stone wall she was wracked with pain and wished repeatedly in her mind that she could go home.

"You've a weak stomach." Xander commented, pulling her to stand up straight as he handed her the new water jug that they would have been given.

"Empty stomach." Dove said softly, her through momentarily torn apart. "Thank you." She continued, sipping from the jug.

"Hm." He muttered, staring at her for a moment before wrapping his long fingers around her arm again. "Bothersome girl. Pick a day you can barely stand on your own to plan an escape."

"Better than the day I'm dead." She answered, letting him lead her around the corridors. The cell they had come from was more isolated from the others but they were coming upon more cells and had to hope they didn't run into any other guards.

Dove looked up at him slowly, able to make out his features a little more in the dim light. "You know the way?"

"I can smell the way." He shrugged, glancing around.

"Handy." She muttered, ignoring the pain in her head that threatened to bring her back to her knees. She needed to sleep more than anything else. She needed fresh air.

"Certainty."

"The cripple." One of the inmates chuckled, looking out into the dimly lit hall with amusement. "Damn, thought you'd been fed to the birds already."

"You care too much about what happens to that thing. Let her rot." Another grumbled.

"Where the keeper?" someone else commented, looking out at Dove and Xander. "How did they get out!"

"They're escaping!"

There was a sudden uproar of voices, men throwing themselves against the bars to their cells in hopes that they too would be granted their freedom.

Dove shuddered slightly, hugging herself and feeling that familiar pain in her head. The same people who had spent the last month mocking and taunting her were now begging for their lives. The pain of it gnawed at her until she nearly whimpered from it. It shouldn't have been so hard to just walk away.

"_Wu-porgo_." Xander hissed. "Shut up, vermin. If you wish to keep making so much racket I will devour you all where you stand I will not have to worry about your noise!"

The silence around them grew in an instant, stunned that way after Xander's angered growling. Unlike her, everyone knew the moment the dragon spoke what he was and apparently knew challenging him would be a mistake.

"Let's go, _happ_." Xander whispered softly, leading her away from the cells and down another long stretch of corridors.

"You're an impressive sort of man." Dove commented, feeling goose bumps across her skin after listening to his threats.

Xander chuckled softly and the walked for a few moments before he pulled them to a stop. He looked down two different corridors with an amused look. Each was blocked by a thick wooden door that was obviously meant to keep all without a key either in or out.

"Problem?"

"No." he shook his head, moving her back to lean against the wall before moving in front of her. He stood in front of the first door before inhaling deeply and leaning forward the instant fire blew from his mouth in a howl. Snorting smoke from his nostrils he laughed at Dove's stunned look. He leaned forward, kicking the burning door open until the wood crumbled into ash.

"That's—insane." She muttered, pushing herself off the wall.

He shrugged with an amused look and pointed to the other door. "Pick that lock."

"Why? You just opened that door." Dove stared, momentarily confused.

Xander nodded. "Yes, but it won't be long before they realize their count is down one man and our cell will be the first they check. The two of us, obviously not being there. This way—" he pointed to the slowly burning door. "Leads to a second level below this one. There is an exit, but the odds of getting to it are slim for us. The magic draining down there would be far too much for you, _happ_. This door leads up stairs, and will make things easier on us."

Dove smiled when she understood. "So they'll think we went down a level when we went up? Great."

"Exactly that." Xander said. "This something you do often?"

"Sounds like it, doesn't it?" She nodded, pulling the rod out again to pick the lock on the second door. Unlike the chains it was much easier to get into.

Dove looked up at the stairs she hated so much with a frown and was anticipating the pain in her feet to add to everything else.

"Bothersome." Xander sighed, lifting her up by her knees and throwing her over his shoulder as he started heading up stairs. "Can't believe you really got us out this far."

She shuddered, trying to find something to hold onto in her struggle. His not wearing a shirt left her high and dry but she was falling limp anyway do to the blood rushing to her head.

"You okay back there?" he laughed softly.

"Making it worse." She groaned.

"Yeah, well, you'll get over it." He chuckled, silently carrying her upstairs and slipping into the light. The sun was shining through the windows of the first floor and it wasn't the cold, stone dungeon from below. The walls and even the floors were beautifully decorated. She'd only ever really seen the one hall that lead into the throne room but the rest of the grand palace was just as stunning.

Going off in a completely different direction, Xander slipped upstairs again to the second floor and carefully avoided being seen by any guard or even a maid. It didn't take much time but he slipped into a room, sliding the door shut behind them.

"What are you doing?" Dove said softly when he finally set her back on her feet. "We should be escaping, not hiding up here. We'll get caught."

"No we won't." Xander smirked. "They'll search every inch of the dungeons and then the surrounding area. We'll hide here for a while before we make our escape, _happ_. Believe me, this place is so big that no one will even know we're here."

Dove frowned, looking around the room with an obvious disdain. It was a far cry from the home she wanted, even if the room was pretty. Instead of a bed there was just a large dip in the floor that was filled to the brim with large pillows. She had to admit it was like a dream compared to sleeping on a stony floor but she was far too anxious about staying in the same place as the people who had been trying to kill her.

"For someone who just did the unthinkable and escaped, you're awfully closed minded." Xander said, he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him and could already feel the heat flowing up into her face. It was the first time she was able to see him clearly and it was easy to see why he was so smug in his demands.

Had they been in her would she would have thought he was Filipino or Asian in some way with his high cheek bones and tan skin. His golden eyes were half lidded as he stared down at her and where nearly covered by his shaggy, grown black hair. It came down his neck in stings that would have been more attractive had it been clean, but then she wasn't a prize in that regard either.

What had her staring up at him like a moth to a flame was the fact that he really towered over her. She was just shy of 5'7" and had never really thought of herself as short, but looking up at this man was having her rethink quite a bit. He was almost bending over to look at her eye level, and was probably closer to 6'5". He was thick in the shoulders and no one would be stupid enough to question this man's strength.

He had her pressed against the back of the door with a grin. "I've been mostly freed, and mostly fed. I'm thinking I should get mostly laid."

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><p>Thanks for reading!<p>

**Reader-** Hello! How're you? The story can be a little confusing until you get into it a little more. So I'll babble for a second and hope I clear things up for you. It's alternating chapters between the twins. So we have Baron hanging out with the nomads and Dove imprisoned with a dragon in the palace of the royal family. When talking casually and there's a language change, you can probably use the key. Like when Xander talks it's usually and endearment to Dove. Titles are their own individual…made up…word. Like Raaie meaning King…

Let me know if there's anything else I can clear up for you. ^^

A E I O U _ B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

I O U A E _ F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D


	6. Baron Hero

Horray for this week's update.  
>Back to Baron!<p>

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><p>Baron was jerked awake by the commotion around him and laid back on his lone blanket with a groan. He didn't know how anyone here got any sleep. Being one of those teens who could stay up all night, he had the nocturnal part down. It was the still having to get up early thing that was pissing him off.<p>

The yelling grew and so did his attention on the matter as it seemed like everyone was crowding around a fight. He didn't imagine the peace loving thieves had it in them to fight amongst themselves, but what did he know.

Most of the woman stood off to the side with their heads down, more than likely afraid to get any closer.

"You know what will happen." Arizona said, doing her best to sound reasonable. The other two stood at her sides again, only this time they weren't shielded with cloaks and were in their day wear. They both had short brown hair and bags under their eyes from lack of sleep. One looked to be a few years younger than the other but they were clearly brothers.

What hit him the hardest was that he'd seen of the them before. He swallowed his fury and moved into the crowd.

"I'll take the chance." Dusty shook his head. "You may not have my sons."

"Reason with him Ribbon." Arizona sighed, looking to the woman as if she would be easier to deal with. She sat holding her twins and sighed, doing her best to ignore the crowd around them.

Ribbon mustered up a smile and shook her head. "I bore these boys Arizona. I can't."

"You'll bring the Raaie here!" the older of Arizona's accomplices glared. "They'll gut the babies in front of you. They won't be humane as we would be."

Dusty glared back, fisting his hands helplessly at his side. "I'll not give you my children to increase your own wages."

Arizona and the other two blanched at the accusation and Baron understood now at least a little of what working for the King meant.

"They'll kill you both too if they find out you were hiding them." The younger said gently. His voice was a whisper, like he rarely spoke.

"Then we die." Dusty said softly, keeping eye contact with the older still.

Arizona shook her head, her golden locks bouncing slowly. "You can't be serious."

"I don't expect you to understand." Ribbon said timidly, shifting the boys closer to her chest. "I won't give them up. They need me."

"'Mom, Thank you. For your guidance and you faith you've shown. For giving me a safe place where I have grown. For showing me how to strive. Because of your love. I will survive.'" Baron quoted as he came forward. He remembered it from when he and his sister would quote it to their mother on special occasions when they were small. It was a mother's day gift but he never imagined so much of it would stay with him.

The words silence the crowd immediately. "I'd quote the rest if I remembered it. A mother is a beautiful, life giving person. It's a crime to take a child's mother away or visa versa." Baron said as he knelt down next to Ribbon. "I can never tell them apart. Which is Basil and which is Thyme?"

Ribbon smiled at him, thankful for the interruption. "Basil is closer to you."

Baron sat back, picking the boy up in his arms to stroke his fingers against the boys tiny birthmark that covered his arm. It was so similar to the one on his own arm.

"We can't keep them alive." The elder of the two said, shaking his head in pity. He stood close behind Arizona where she seemed to be keeping him from getting closer.

"Says who?" Baron asked, challenging. "Personally I don't see this baby being overwhelmingly threatening."

Arizona sighed tiredly. "Look, I know that being from the mountains you might not understand, but this is how things are here. The Raaie and the Raii are monsters. We can't give them any reason to come here."

"We'll hide them." Dusty said in a pleading tone. The man of his dignity and pride was willing to beg now to keep his children safe. It struck a chord with Baron that he didn't know existed.

"That won't work." The elder one said again.

Baron shook his head, rocking Basil in his arms who was hardly big enough to cry. "You're the monster. To kill a baby to save your own ass is horrible. Look for another way rather than killing in cold blood."

"You're not even one of us." The older one scoffed.

"Canyon, please." Arizona frowned as Baron.

Canyon shook his head. "I know they will grieve but it is better now than before the children are older before they grow fond of them."

"Don't you mean, before _you_ grow fond of them?" Baron asked. "Ribbon carried these babies for months. That's something you can't destroy. There's already a bond there. Ribbon and Dusty are already attached to them, just because you're not and don't see the harm in it doesn't mean no one will be affected."

"It won't be less painful when their older," Canyon said, frustration building.

"That's not your decision to make." Baron pointed out.

"It's ours." Dusty said. "If you wish us to leave and travel on our own then we will."

"That will not be necessary." Moss said, making his way into the middle of the gathering; not that it was hard with everyone moving out of his way.

"Moss." Arizona muttered.

"There's been enough blood." Moss said thoughtfully, eyes on the newborns. "Our children have seen enough bloodshed at the hands of the Raaie. I will not let our own hands add to that sin. We may not be good people, but we are not monsters."

"Thank you." Dusty whispered so softly he could barely be heard.

"Moss…" Canyon muttered

"That's all I will say on the matter." Moss sighed. "Off with you. All of you. There are things you could be doing."

Baron watched as everyone wandered off. Arizona and her accomplices being the last of the crowd to move away thought the boys still eyed the babies warily.

"Seems you've a lot to say on the matter." Moss said, looking to Baron. "What will you do if this ends badly?"

"There's nothing to do when things like this end badly. There's too much death around as is. Let someone who deserves it be next on the noose and not those who don't even know which way is up yet." Baron shrugged. "Living in a realm of 'what ifs' will only hold you back."

Moss didn't answer, only gave a half nod before he turned to wander away from the front of Dusty's tent.

"Thank you, Baron." Ribbon said softly, wearing the most gentle of smiles that almost had him blushing from embarrassment.

"You know, I didn't do anything but babble." Baron grinned a little.

"And they listened." Dusty pointed out. "Don't get me wrong, these are good people, but we are still made up of bandits and thieves. They don't listen on command to just anyone."

Baron shrugged again. "They're bandit's and thieves because they lost their stable homes and it was the easiest life to turn to where they would survive, but something doesn't quite sit right with me. Could you tell me exactly what a _Lirhov`w_ is?"

Dusty gave Baron a curious look before taking a seat on the other side of his wife and gazing at his boys. "Come now, Baron. Everyone knows that."

He sighed. "Please pretend I don't and tell me. I get the general idea but its other details I'm lacking. They work of the King?"

"King?" Ribbon stared curiously. The word sounding strange given her accent. "What's a King?"

Baron struggled for a moment to remember the right word. They had to have such a strange dialect. "Raaie."

"Yes." Dusty said, speaking quietly. "They are our bounty hunters. To keep us out of sight and mind they do jobs for the Raaie. Most anything he requires or wishes them to hunt. They're reputations were impressive so he hired them without doing too much note taking on them. It's not work they are proud of but it keeps us out of harms way."

Baron swallowed down the sudden sickness he felt. Couldn't he ever be given good news. "You don't see anything wrong with that?"

Dusty had the decency to turn his gaze away as he spoke. "Not really. Not until the boys were born."

"It's mostly simple things for them." Ribbon added with a sigh. "Run an errand, play messenger. Sometimes their sent places just to give the Raaie a report on the area. Harming people isn't what they like to do. Even in regards to the boys. They think its best."

Baron sighed. "How could killing a baby be for the best?"

"I'm afraid to think what would have happened to them already had you not wandered into our tent after they were born." Dusty said softly. He looked haunted as he spoke the words but a sound from one of the boys cleared it from his face.

"You've saved them already, Baron." Ribbon smiled softly. "And you were right. I'm not letting anyone take them from me. It's our job to keep them safe."

Dusty gave a nod. "We don't normally conform anyway, this is no different."

Ribbon laughed softly, giving her husband a fond look. In a short time they already agreed to treat their boys like a blessing instead of a curse.

"So after all this time, they still hunt down those with jointed magic?" Baron asked. He had suspected it, and honestly, he knew the answer. There was just a part of him who wished he could be told it wasn't so.

"Of course." Dusty said softly. "They're treated as outlaws."

"Ridiculous." Baron nearly hissed, rocking Basil slowly still. "These babies have done nothing but be born. We're all guilty of that."

"It frightens people." Ribbon said softly. "They can't help but do as what's commanded of them when they see no other way around it."

"It's a shame." Dusty nodded sadly, rubbing a soothing hand down his wife's back. "Arizona's a good girl. Canyon and Shade just don't want to witness another crumbing village. They don't mean what they do. They try to sever the pain before it affects many."

"I wish I saw it that way." Baron said, handing Basil back to his mother before his anger got the better of him.

"Seeing it that way doesn't make you feel better about it." Dusty said, understanding Baron's anger though not it's source.

"What does the Raaie do with the people brought to him?" Baron asked after a short silence that grew to be too awkward between them. He was already sure they found his questions odd but he needed them answered and he trusted him not to think to poorly of him

Dusty's eyes widened and looked like he really didn't want to answer that particular question. "If they are very lucky, they're killed immediately."

Baron winced visually and a cold shiver ran down his spine. He'd know if she were dead. He had to know if she were. She was alive but was she alright? "What happens if they aren't lucky?"

Dusty sighed. "Well that's hard for us to know for certain. We go off of rumors you understand. I've heard a number of horror stories. There's starving, torture, tormenting. The cells underneath the _Sipigo_ are said to drain the magic away from people. Sucks it out literally. I've heard that if left they're too long that could kill you, if it didn't drive you insane first."

He stopped speaking when Baron shuddered again. With every word he seemed to be consumed with more and more pain. Dusty couldn't bring himself to continue when it had such an effect on the boy. He knew it was horrible but he never imagined merely speaking about it would do so much damage.

"What's the matter? Are you feeling ill?" Ribbon asked and the kindness in her voice made him ache for home. She reached out to touch his arm and it took every bit of his ability to not flinch.

"Love your boys, Ribbon. Love them and tell them there's nothing they can't do as long as they're together." Baron said, reaching out to touch Thyme's face and pulling his sleeve back slightly in the process. The marks on his knuckles became visible and drew their attention instantly.

"Oh, Baron." Ribbon said sympathetically.

Dusty reached out, pulling his sleeve back in a fatherly way to hide the mark. At that moment Baron at least knew that these two wouldn't be the ones to condemn him. He wasn't so different from their newborns.

"She can't be dead." He whispered softly, hiding his face in his hands. "I don't know what I would do."

"Suppose that's why you're so keen on getting to the _Sipigo_." Dusty said softly. "But you must understand that's a suicide job. You can't make it in there."

"I have to." Baron muttered. "I don't have any other choice."

"You're positive she's here?" Ribbon asked softly, rubbing his arm lightly. There was little comfort she could offer him. "There's nowhere else she could be?"

"Your own _Lirhov`w_ are responsible." He muttered. "It was only for a second but I'm sure it was Canyon I saw fighting with her. He was the one that dragged her away into the lantern."

Dusty sighed shakily and nodded. "If they found her and assumed she was a cripple they would have taken her to the Raaie for payment."

"Like there's nothing wrong with that at all." Baron hissed, running a hand through his hair. It only made things worse for him, having to be so close to the man he hated most. The man who took his sister away to be tortured for a fee. "It's no wonder moma took us away from all of this."

"She lives?" Dusty asked.

He nodded. "Yes. I wouldn't let her come, or rather I left before she was ready. She escaped this hell once with two infants I couldn't let her come back with all of those memories."

Ribbon smiled softly, tears falling down her face again.

"Please tell me I haven't made you cry again," Baron said, looking up at her.

She shook her head and sniffed back her tears. "Your mother must be a stronger woman then I've ever seen. She had the strength to do what I couldn't imagine having done without your intervention. It's beautiful to me."

Baron smiled weakly. "Was almost twenty years ago. Who knows that it was like. I don't remember."

"Strange though." Dusty muttered. "I didn't think the Raaie gave much thought to those in the mountains but I still wouldn't think it was safe for those with jointed magic."

"I never recall saying I was from the mountains." He smiled faintly.

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><p>Thanks for reading!<p>

Baron's mother's day quote. _'You Are My Heart And Soul'_

_ by Elizabeth A. Robinson_

**Whirlingwings**- Both twins definitely have their moments. It's okay to like them both XD Thanks for reading.

**Silverbolts**- yeep, sorry about that. Dove will continue next chapter, picking up right where she and Xander left off. ^_^


	7. Dove Trapped

Wooo! I'm late!  
>No one reminded me to update!<br>I need that sometimes you know…

Warning…**Mature** content below…

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><p>Dove pressed in vain against Xander's chest as he stood in front of her with the most mischievous grin on his face. He was nearly as amused just watching her struggle.<p>

"Not here."

"Why not?" he raised an eye, staring at her.

She made a frustrated sound and tried to ignore the blush creeping up her face. Just because he was handsome didn't mean she would roll over and meet his demands. Even if it was more or less apart of the bargain she agreed to.

"We're dirty." She argued.

"And would need to bathe afterwards anyway." He chuckled, pressing his hips to hers teasingly. She inhaled softly and hated that sudden longing that erupting in her lower abdomen. The way she was on fire so suddenly just wasn't normal and she blamed him completely. Such a feeling had never erupted in her before, and certainly not from a little contact. Was it a dragon thing? She didn't know.

"No. You didn't specify when." She mocked his early statement.

Xander growled softly, showing off his large pointed canines and fangs. The sight was enough to create knots in her stomach and made her squirm uncomfortably under his gaze. Magic wasn't new to her, but people not in her family using it was. To be in the presence of a dragon who didn't look to be any older then in his mid-twenties put her on edge.

"Then it doesn't matter does it?" he taunted. "I'll do what I want, when I want. Now, later, maybe tomorrow, while your sleeping."

He pressed his hips harder against hers. "Maybe it'll be more interested to keep you shivering. I wonder how long before your guard cracks."

Dove frowned up at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Look, we both needed to get out of there. Honestly, we need to get out of here too. We don't have time for this crap."

"Really? I was thinking we had plenty of time. The Raaie and Raii are so swelled in the head that they would never dream of someone infiltrating their home. The _nerve_!" he mocked, grinning wide as his hands slid back down her sides.

"Get off." She glared, pushing him back, again, the action being completely in vain. "This is no place for you to be horny."

He managed to look innocently surprised, still managing to look almost too good. "It's the perfect place. No one will even hear you scream from down here."

"Not comforting."

"Such a shy virgin." He teased.

Gritting her teeth she glared up at him still. "I'm dirty, okay? No."

"That means so very little. I am a dragon, what do I care?" He muttered, "It won't change the taste I'm after anyway. But let's be honest, _happ_. They're two different ways I can devour you. One, you'll no doubt enjoy, and the other you'll only have to deal with if you try to go back on our deal."

Dove stared at him nearly stunned, her lips parted slightly as she stared up at him. Her chest tightened and the blood rushed to her head. "Bad dragon…" she scolded weakly, making his grin grow larger.

"Of course. It's my favorite thing to be." He chuckled, learning down to pressed his lips roughly against her neck. His hands skillfully roamed across her hips to her rear where he teasingly squeezed her.

"Xander!" she complained, unable to get away from his playful grip. Her back still hurt and she ached all over. Not to mention her stomach wasn't feeling particularly well. She'd been laying in a cell for over a month. She couldn't understand why he would choose now of all moments to collect on their deal.

What was almost as worse was the fact that they hadn't actually escaped yet. Their deal couldn't end so quickly when she'd still needed help to get free. If that were the case then she would have nothing more to offer him. He could escape at any moment and she would be screwed. Her magic wasn't being drained anymore but she wasn't feeling the feel strength of it either.

If the King were to find her here then she'd really be in for it, and if he found out she'd been lying then her entire family would be in trouble. It would be better if everyone thought the dragon ate her and then escaped on his own. The down side to that was that no one would know that since Xander ate the guard.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a hand on her behind and a hand up her shirt, exploring her flesh. Xander chuckled against her ear and she squealed from his careful taunting ministrations. Every twitch from her body only encouraged her more.

"Xander!" She shuddered, trying to wiggle away from him but was stuck, pressed between him and the wall.

He laughed softly. "Jumpy as a virgin ought to be,_ happ_." He mused. "Just stop moving so much."

"Is that what you're calling a sacrifice!" she said, her voice getting higher as she spoke. Her face had turned a dark red against his daring touches. His hand slipped out of under her shirt and went straight to her jeans, skillfully popping the button open and shoving his hand down the front.

She wasn't the type to be handled so roughly, or take that kind of thing quietly, but she'd never before dealt with someone so powerful, both magically and physically. Not to mention the fact that she had agreed to it in order to gain her freedom.

Squealing from embarrassment she ignored that tiny voice in the back of her mind that adored the contact while pushing at his chest in vain.

"You're wet, _happ_." He purred, nipping at the skin on her neck as she shivered. It was impossible to escape from his probing fingers touching her center.

Dove suppressed the softest of urges to whimper when a jolt of pleasure ran through her. Her legs jumped reflexively and even the muscles in her shoulders tightened and twitched. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not when he repeated the action several more times and she was overcome with waves of toe curling bliss.

"Given up on struggling?" Xander taunted, reminding Dove that she should have been kicking and screaming despite her 'promised consent'.

"Xander…"

"Relax." He said softly, his free hand pushing her jeans and underwear off her hips while the other continued teasing her. She would have loved to say she noticed everything he was doing, but she had almost forgotten the trouble they were in let alone the reasons behind it.

With a small laugh he knelt slowly and trailed his wet fingers down he her thigh. Before the realization to pull away had ever occurred his mouth had replaced his fingers and a moan erupted passed her lips. The kisses he left had more effect then she ever would have thought.

Dove had never imagined she'd be in this position, not with a dragon or otherwise. His tongue slid out, making her hips jerk outward but his now claw like nails racked down the back of her thighs and rested behind her knees where he was somehow able to hold her mostly still.

"You have…to stop." Dove muttered softly, only slightly aware of the fact that her legs were shaking. She felt as if the world around them was moving very fast or that the two of them had slowed down suddenly but she was aware of ever heightened feeling that she'd never had before.

She was sure he was grinning and didn't know how she felt about being able to tell that when his face was _there_. His tongue swirled around playfully and she could almost feel his purrs that vibrated against her skin like torture.

Her breathing had turned ragged and there was little she could do other than grip his shaggy locks of hair and moan. Trashing her head back and forth did little more than entertain him and he'd give her a playful nip every time her hips jerked forward.

Dove moaned his name and gasped harshly when he finally moved to that small bundle of nerves he'd purposely been neglecting. She nearly screamed in delight and could distinctly feel her legs giving out on her when his lips enclosed around it to continue his slow display of pleasurable agony.

Her whines almost came out as breathy yelps when she felt the pressure building rapidly. It knotted in her stomach and she was sure she'd have been arching towards him had he not been supporting her entire weight from her legs. The most she could do was lean off the wall, fisting his hair in her hands in hopes he'd take then hint.

With a louder kind of purring sound from him she could hear her own moans getting more needy. He'd obviously had the experience in making women fold the way she didn't think happened outside of books. Even her breasts were tight and aching from their lack of attention they were getting out of the situation. The wicked swirl of his tongue and one free wandering hand could have had her crying in frustration. She hadn't realized until then that at some point she'd switched from fighting him to being shamelessly wanton.

She nearly doubled over when his slow torture to the brink of pleasure finally crumbled beneath her and her orgasm caught her completely off guard. Xander on the other hand had been expecting it completely and nearly laughed from the pride it gave him. He didn't stop working his own tongue until he was sure she was completely spent.

Standing up again he let her slide down the wall like a heavy sack—limp, shaking, and still panting heavily. With a content smirk he licked his lips and stared down at her, waiting for her sense to return.

"Come now, _happ_." He teased. "Feeling alright now?"

Dove stared up at him slowly, her face dark red, not only from what had just happened but from how she most of looked—nearly sprawled out on the floor with only her top half clothed. She tried to scowl, pulling herself up right again but was discouraged by his soft laughter.

"Great," she muttered, feigning a disgruntled look as if she hadn't just been in ecstasy. "Deal done then."

Xander laughed loudly. "Not hardly."

Her gaze snapped back to him. "What?"

Leaning down towards her he grinned wide, already knowing how she reacted to the sight of his canines. "Mostly freed, mostly feed and mostly—well, that was satisfying all the same but I was hardly laid."

Staring at the floor with a new founded blush she sighed, wishing her hands would stop shaking. She hadn't considered that fact that he was just playing. "You're a bastard." She muttered.

"I know." He purred softly, straightening up again as he glanced around the room. "I'll assume that's the wash room through there. You can bathe. I know you were concerned about being dirty."

He laughed again when she shivered, his tone bringing on a sudden new meaning to the word. Shenever knew she was so damn entertaining. Picking her jeans up from the floor she walked passed him, pretending she couldn't feel his golden gaze firmly on her back. She was sure he was going to be a pain not easily remedied.

Walking into the bathroom she paused. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, probably something more like what she had at home. Instead the room was empty. Stepping back out—holding her jeans in front of her lower half—she looked at Xander.

"Where's all the stuff?"

He raised an eye. "What?"

She pointed into the bathroom. "It's empty." She knew the room was mostly empty other than the pillow fort but had assumed it was because it was unused.

Xander blinked slowly. "You've never seen that before?"

"No."

He sighed softly, moving to walk in beside her. "You didn't strike me as a mountain girl. Most places this close to the Royal _Sipigo_ are all magically inclined in such a way. If you live by the mountains you're in the dark age."

"Sorry." Dove muttered. "How do I make it work?"

He waved a hand effortlessly and a dip appeared in the floor a few feet deep and it slowly filled with water. "You're bath." He paused. "I didn't realize I would have to teach you all of this."

"Meh, meh, meh." She mocked softly at his whining. She did as he did, waving her hand out with a sink in mind. If she was gonna do this she was gonna do it right. Instead of what she had expected a fountain appeared that seemed to be the closest thing to what she wanted. Mirrors even slid across the way and she stared in horror over her own appearance.

"Ah, damn." She hissed softly, noticing how dark her complexion looked only because she was that dirty. Her hair was matted down and greasy and her shirt was not the white shirt it had been. She was a complete mess but that was to be expected after being in captivity for so long.

"At least you're a fast learner." Xander muttered but he didn't seem to react to her appearance the way she had. He'd been looking at it for hours already and he wasn't in much better shape.

"Gross." She complained finally. "Can I do that with soups and stuff too?"

He shook his head slightly. "In a normal home? I don't know, maybe. Here, mostly likely. I imagine the _Sipigo_ is well stocked."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Does_ Sipigo_ mean castle?" she thought for a moment more. "Palace?"

He seemed to debate it with himself for a moment before nodding hesitantly. "Yes?"

"Then what the hell does _happ_ mean?" she asked, her hand on her hip as she had forgotten about her partial nudity.

He laughed. "You'll have to figure that one out."

Dove stuck her tongue out at a him and pointed to the door. "Get out. If you gonna be like that I can figure this all out of my own."

"Nasty temper there, _happ_." He said, just to annoy her as he moved out of the room. "Dunno why I'm leaving, should just share it."

"Like I trust you with that." She said, turning a shade darker again. He turned back to grin at her before sliding the door shut to give her a moment's privacy.

She dropped her clothes and stripped herself of the remaining ones before stepping into the water. It reminded her of walking into a pool from the kids' side. It sloped until you got to the depth you wanted. The water was hot and exactly what she wanted. Not only was it cleaning the grim off her skin but it soothed her back and sides.

Her favorite feature she'd found thus far though had to be that the water stayed clean. She could do that at home if she took a bath but not without using her magic to help it along. The room seemed to almost have magic stored in it to do the work automatically.

"All this and they don't have electricity. What's the deal?" She muttered softly, looking through the selection of scent oils and soaps offered.

"Electricity?" Xander asked from the doorway, startling her completely. Her arm went across her chest frantically and she moved deeper into the water. "Awe, come now _happ_. You've nothing I've never seen before."

"Knocking? Heard of it? That function that would give me the warning I need to tell you the stay the hell out?" Dove glared.

"That's no fun." He chuckled, tossing down a set of dry clothes for her. "Wet looks good on you."

She could have growled herself. "Get out."

"And here I stole clothes for your benefit. I should have left you without, could have let you roam around naked." He rolled his eyes. "In fact, it's not a half bad idea."

"I can conjure my own clothes, thank you." She glared, sinking deeper into the water.

Xander smiled. "Yes, your strange garments could be easily fixed and reproduced but they're still strange. You'll stand out to much if we decide to venture the halls and I don't need to tell you that standing out is bad."

"You could have left them at the door or something." Dove grumbled.

He laughed out right. "_Happ_, your stuck with me for a while longer. You'll need to cope with that. Your modesty is cute but I guarantee it's all but useless for the moment."

"Out, please." She glared again.

He grinned. "Since you asked so nicely."

She sighed when he finally slid the door shut behind him. That was going to be something she watched out for in the future. She was sure he wanted a turn too, but barging in on her wouldn't make her move any faster. Rubbing her eyes slightly she slid down until her head underwater for a few seconds and tried to relax.

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><p>Thanks for reading!<p>

**Dancinfree-**Baron's realistic you know? Yeah he's a tough guy but…he's panicking. Poor thing needs a break.

**T-Lynlyn-** Thank you! I hope Dove's part was what you were hoping for!


	8. Baron Misunderstood

Woo….i..totally forgot to update..people should really remind me.  
>My bad. Enjoy the update. ^_^<p>

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><p>"You weren't rude to her or anything like that though right?" Lavender asked as she sewed a rip in the skirt she wore. She seemed to have taken a personal interest on his thoughts of Arizona, the newly returned warrior.<p>

"No more than I am to anyone else." Baron mused.

Arizona had been watching him almost constantly and it was starting to really get on his nerves. She had something to say to him and said it with a glower instead of words. He'd outgrown that kind of crap by third grade. If she didn't speak up soon then he was going to show her just how_ rude_ he could be.

"Odd then. I find your company enjoyable." Lavender muttered, deep in thought over the matter. "I can't say I understand why she is so hostile with you."

He smiled at her. "Thanks. Some people just don't get along. Nothing wrong with that. If Arizona wants to be like that, then fine."

"Just not like her." The timid girl continued.

"It doesn't matter. I don't see us ever really getting along." He gave a nonchalant shrug, drawing aimlessly in the dirt with a stick.

"Why?" she looked almost stunned by the declaration and he reminded himself that she was an innocent kind of girl.

"I don't like what she does. I don't care who it benefits or hinders." He said honestly. "Reminds me of a lot of things I'd rather not think about."

Lavender nodded slowly. "They find you just as odd, I think."

"I should hope so." He laughed softly. If he was odd, he was glad for it. He'd never been normal before by modern standards, he didn't see why it should be any different here.

She looked more crestfallen.

"We're on the move again?" he asked, changing the subject between them. Everyone had been packing since they woke up. Taking apart their temporary homes and securing their possessions. It was easier with magic to aid them but it didn't give them less to do. Not only did they need to round up the animals, but the younger children as well.

"Yes. It's a dangerous move to get closer to the _Sipigo_ but we have to for a while. The Raaie keeps asking Arizona and the others to do things for him so it's easier for them if we're all closer to them in case they find themselves in a bind." Lavender explained.

Baron nodded slightly, hardly understanding what she had said other than the move being necessary.

"I should help pap." She smiled, getting up. "We'll move once it's dusk."

He nodded again and suppressed the urge to shake his head instead. Their lives seemed to stand still now that Arizona and the others were back. Not out of fear of their extended family members but because of the connections said family members had with the King. It was apparently terrible to be on that man's list. It was a fear he didn't know. If the man had hurt his sister and he couldn't right things with magic, he would return with a Glock and give the King something to fear.

He had very little possessions so he was packed almost instantly. Instead of sitting around and waiting hours he decided to help Dusty with his family's things. All he had to do was demand that Ribbon sit with her boys. Being a mom was a full time job already. With Dusty in agreement he thanked Baron quietly as they packed.

"Are you sure I couldn't—"

"Ribbon." Baron smiled at her. "You have two newborns that need your attention. Don't bother yourself with all this."

She held the boys in her arms and frowned both at her husband and the young man she had become fond of. "He put you up to this."

"He did no such thing." Baron chuckled, weaving his magic just as easily as the rest of them as he continued to help Dusty pack their belongings.

"And even if I had, they wouldn't need your attention any less." Dusty smiled lightly as he slung a few bags across the back of their mule.

"They need their mama." Baron chuckled. "Besides, we're almost done now."

"An extra pair of hands wouldn't hurt." Ribbon muttered.

Baron held out his hands to her. "That's what these are. I'm the extra hands."

"Never has known how to sit still." Dusty mused.

"Like my moma." Baron muttered, smiling faintly at the thought as he packed. He hated to think how out of her mind with worry she was.

"I think we can see that as a compliment," Dusty said as he gathered the last of the smaller items into a back and tied it shut, "Considering how you turned out."

He grinned instantly. "Can I get that in writing to take home to her?"

Dusty chuckled, "I think we'll need to find a gift to send with you"

"Oh, Dusty, that is a very good idea!" Ribbon smiled, wrapping the boys in a sling to make it easier for her to carry them.

"No, she wouldn't accept anything like that." Baron shook his head. "You're looking out for me after all."

"We'll try anyway." Dusty gave a shrugged, attaching the bag before looking around, "Thanks for the help."

"Absolutely." Baron shrugged, wondering what he should do now. Dusty had already confiscated his meager belongings to carry along with theirs.

"We'll be moving along shortly." Ribbon said, glancing up at the darkening sky. "Back towards the _Sipigo._ I can't say I'm looking forward to that."

"I am..." Baron muttered, staring out at the others. Everyone was practically ready to go, waiting for Moss' say so. They gathered together like a reluctant caravan and he seemed to be the only one excited to get going.

"Well go make yourself useful and don't go messing with Arizona anymore. Won't do you or your cause any good to be on her bad side." Dusty mused, walking over to crouch in front of his wife so he could see the twins.

"I'm not messing with her." Baron mused, raising an amused brow in Dusty's direction. "She's too easily riled up. She's easy to get flustered."

"Only when someone pushes her buttons." Dusty said pointedly. "Could always try being nice to her."

"I tried to be nice to her. She was too busy thinking I was seducing little Lavender, who's a year older then I am." he sighed. "I haven't done anything to make her dislike me."

"She's protective. Someone's gotta try." Dusty glanced at him.

Baron sighed. "Fine, I'll play nice. As nice as I am able with them."

"Gotta start somewhere." Dusty nodded.

"Fine." Baron sighed, noticing the caravan seemed to be moving. He got up, wandering on the outside of the crowd and lingering towards the back to bring up the back since that had become a habit of his but that plan backfired when he realized it's where Arizona was currently glaring daggers at him.

It wasn't even so much of a glare as an overbearing leer. As though she didn't want to let him out of her sights, even now. She was on foot, walking alongside a mule to coax it along if it got stubborn but her attention seemed to be on him.

"Don't trip." he muttered, knowing that was not the way to play nice. "I'm not going anywhere, you don't have to keep the hawk eye on me."

"For all I know you're plotting something that can be carried out at any time. After all you won't let me see your intentions for myself." She countered.

"My moma taught me it was rude to look into others thoughts. Sorry for respecting my own thoughts as I respect others." he looked back at her. "I told you I was looking for someone."

"And your words can be lies. Even if they're not that tells me nothing of any plans you have. Nothing you say can be taken with certainty." she looked off ahead of her.

"You're free to think whatever you like. I'm going to travel with you as far as I am able and go off on my own if that's what's necessary. You don't have to worry about me anymore." Baron said.

"As long as you're in our community, staying with us and putting reckless ideas into everyone's heads then I will have to worry about you." She said instead.

He raised an eye. "Reckless? Like preserving life? Shame on me."

"At the cost of many" She shot him a cold look, "You have no idea about the way things are, that much I have gathered, but that makes you ignorant not all knowing. They are in hiding and succeeding only because the Raaie has no reason to look for them. From now one, if ever someone in a town is to notice the pair of twins in our little family and word gets back to him, it will not just be the family he slaughters but anyone who is not quick enough to escape. And don't be foolish enough to believe we could hide them away forever. You have resigned these people to death and I hope that always rests on your shoulders."

"It absolutely will." He agreed, staring at her. "As long as I am here, nothing is going to happen to Dusty's boys. If I have to hide them myself, so be it."

"You're only here to find someone you fool. They are in danger for the rest of their lives." She sighed, "We all are. All the good intentions in the world do not make for a good outcome. Sometimes that takes sacrifice."

Baron look at her with cold eyes. "What the hell do you know about sacrifices? You think you have it hard? That you know fear? You don't know a damn thing about me." He vented quickly, bring his hand up to rub his eyes. The woman was infuriating and seemed to make her it personal mission to make it hard for him to stay civil. "Sorry..."

"If you understood sacrifice then you would understand this." She shook her head, "They listen because I sacrifice for them just like my family always has. And now it's for nothing...over a damned wanderer. Don't waste your apologies."

"I pray you then never have twins." Baron muttered, trying to be nice was out the window. "If you could really end their lives, I wouldn't be able to stomach standing in your presence."

"It would be an odd mix for sure." She mused, sighing, "Perhaps another reason to add to not starting a family."

"I don't understand you." he said finally.

"My life is not complicated." She shook her head, no doubt thinking he was the one that couldn't be understood.

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I should be able to relate to you." he said. "I'm sorry life sucks. It does for everyone. We're not the ones who should be playing God."

"Better than leaving it to someone who takes such joy from toying with people." She glowed at him again.

"Just revolt. Screw the king. Let's go Boston tea party on his ass. Start up the revolution. I can't believe one person can make so many so miserable." he shook his head.

She stared at him with confusion, "I don't understand. The Raaie has many resources and a massive army, he does what he pleases."

"And you have smarts and powers of your own. I know you do things you're not proud of." he looked back at her. "Because you have to. Getting rid of him could be the last bad thing anyone here ever has to think about. Find someone new to be King. Someone not such a pain in the ass."

"I would, without hesitation, but I would be slaughtered before I could take him with me. I'd rather make sure my people remain safe than encourage my death and help no one." She shrugged, the words obviously nagging at her.

"You're stuck thinking inside the box, Arizona." he shook his head. "Take the place down brick by brick."

"Do not patronize me" She snapped, "My cousins and I are the last of my line because it cannot be done. Too many were lost to that war to no avail. It is better to endure and survive sometimes but do not speak as though you know better because I have never seen you at an attack."

"Where my pap was killed." Baron nodded. "And it's been my experience that trying to live and survive doesn't mean a damn thing when someone drags you into a battle you didn't ask for. This king wants a war, I'll give him one. Even if I'm alone when i do it."

"Then you do it alone but do not presume to condemn those of us who don't appreciate pointless death." She growled, "If I am to die it will be to save these people. Whether that is when his soldiers attack to get to those children or if I one day have am in reach of his throat. But I will not sacrifice myself on pride. Pride gets you nothing in this world and it helps no one."

He grinned. "You don't know me very well. I got the ace in my pocket. I'm not worried about him right now. More worried about my little missing person."

"Then you shouldn't talk so boldly about such things. I think you're trying to get on my nerves." She huffed.

"Maybe a little bit." he admitted.

"Bastard." She muttered, her tone alone saying how insulted she was.

"My aunt used to tell me that it was good for you to get riled up sometimes. It's a way to get the stress out and learn to breathe softly again." He smiled. "She's a bit strange."

"If that is true then I don't believe you have a good grasp on it and I certainly don't believe it would involve insulting someone's history." She stared ahead.

"That's true, but you also ignored my apology. It's not something I'll harp on." he shrugged.

"Perhaps I did." She mused, "But as we've said I was riled up and insulted. You should take time to learn more about us and why we do things the way we do before you try to change things. And that is purely advice... I apologize for ignoring your apology."

"Then I'll hope you'll consider taking that apology. I don't mean to speak so…rashly but I've got a lot on my plate right now." Baron sighed quietly.

"Everyone does. We just try to make the best of it." She shrugged.

"I am, but you like to make it harder on me." he smiled faintly.

"I believe it was you who initiated this conversation. I was simply making sure you were not causing trouble." she muttered.

"I have a right to my cause the way you have a right to your suspicious. I'll stay out of your way." he mused.

"Being in my way has nothing to do with it." She tilted her head to get a better view of the front of the group. "It's about protecting these people. Especially not knowing what, ultimately you're doing or who you're looking for. The fall out can be massive and they don't deserve to be caught up in that."

"They won't be." Baron nodded. "Once I find who I'm looking for, we'll go. If you're so damn worried about it, I'll invite Dusty to come home with us to protect their boys. I'm not gonna leave their existence to chance without knowing I did all I could to keep them alive. Even if he turns down my invitation."

"And I'm to know that's not an elaborate lie how?" She smiled lightly, the first she'd given him.

"You trust these people. Trust Dusty who trusts me enough to handle his sons. Someone no one else here has the nerve to do." Baron said quietly. "I wish I could reassure you, but I can't."

"You defended them, that is touching but again," her face went sullen "Men have accomplished greater cons. Just look who runs these lands."

"I will when I decide whether I take his life or not." Baron muttered.

"Just going to be another life lost to his nonsense." She shook her head.

"His if we're lucky." Baron grinned.

"You really think something like that will work? You're optimism is refreshing but misguided." Canyon muttered, he'd lingered back, turning to look at the two who didn't really seem to notice him before he spoke.

Baron shook his head. "I really don't think you're one to lecture me on how misguided I am."

"The things we do are for survival. The things you speak of are prideful nonsense. All that comes of things like that are death and suffering of the people involved with you."

"So you'd rather save your own ass then two newborns? If that's prideful nonsense, then I'm all for it." Baron shrugged.

"A few in trade for many." Canyon muttered. "The lesser of the evils."

"Where the greatest evil around sits cozy on his thrown." Baron said, becoming slowly irritated with both of them.

"Because no one can get to him. It's not prideful when we would each die if it meant the rest would live but it doesn't, not in the way you're talking about. Dying by a guard in the Raaie's castle while trying to get to him would only draw attention to us and bring the death of more as he tries to make a point that no one should do it again. So while you lay in your grave we will endure the repercussions of your stupidity. But I have resigned attempts to teach you anything. Canyon, do not continue this it is a pointless argument."

"You'll let him go ignorantly?" Canyon frowned.

"It's how I'd prefer it actually. Don't you two worry about little 'ol me. I'll go on my own with no connections with any of you." Baron shook his head a small smile tugging at his lips. "My means of war aren't so primitive as this..."

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><p>Thanks for reading!<p>

**T-Lynlyn-** you know, I'm not really sure but when I figure it out….i'm keeping it secret. Sorry XD thanks for reading.

A E I O U_ B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

I O U A E_ F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D


	9. Dove Bossy

Wooooo!

I'm really late!

No one reminded me to update!

^_^ My bad.

Enjoy.

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><p>There was nothing so glorious as a bath and Dove had decided to never take one for granted again. At the moment there was nothing as good as being clean and judging by Xander's gaze as she finally exited the bathroom, he agreed. Her hair was back to the ash blonde color it was meant to be and it off set her pale green eyes the way it should have.<p>

Clean now, her skin was fair and thanks to the oils and a lot of scrubbing, it was soft again. His eyes trailed her up and down hungrily as they had before and she had to wonder if he really cared what state she was in. The clothes he had brought for her weren't so far off from clothes she'd seen before, only the material was different to her. It was soft and nearly felt like she wasn't wearing anything at all. He'd even managed to get shirt that came in two pieces. The first was more or less like a tank top and the second layer she thought of like a fall jacket only with a longer back and longer sleeves. The long sleeves she was thankful for since it hid away the birthmark on her arm that labeled her as a 'cripple'.

Having her skin clean meant she felt better but it did show off the bruises and cuts she'd accumulated over the last mouth. The down side was being able to look at herself in the mirror and see just how bad it was. There was nothing else to focus on. Not to mention the fact that the horrendous marks on her back and sides made it clear why she hurt so badly.

She laid back in the pile of pillows that was there as a replacement for a bed and she was surprised how comfortable it was. She had expected that there would be an uncomfortable pillow jabbing her in the back but she melted right down into them.

The problem she was having on the other hand was the fact that she was terrified of getting caught. She was just laying around in a room that could have been right next to the King and Queens for all she knew. She really had no way of knowing how big the palace was and how far away she was from the people who potentially wanted her dead. If they were to find out about her family then she really would be hunted down.

The more she thought about it the more anxious she became. Much like the bathroom, this main room was mostly empty. If someone walked in there would be no place for her to hide unless she could manage to burrow into the mound of pillows but she didn't want to think about all the wrong turns that could take.

She blamed the stupid dragon for those new thoughts she probably wouldn't have had before. Like with the bathroom she tried pulling furniture into the room and it worked the same way. She pulled in a desk for her own peace of mind. It would have been easy to fill the room full of useless things but then again, someone walking into a room full of clutter that should have been empty would have been a red flag anyway.

Dove sighed a little, hugging a pillow to her chest as she tried to relax. The longer Xander took the more uneasy she became. Being deep in what was obviously 'enemy territory' left her jumpy and terrified. A dragon for an ally was good for as long as it lasted.

The thought made her go red. He'd help her as his part of the deal until she held up her part, and obviously he was willing to collect on that slowly. She'd have liked to think that earlier had been a mistake and that she'd been fighting the whole time but even she knew when to give in. So it felt good and she lost track of things, it wasn't a crime. He obviously knew what he was doing anyway. Chances were good she'd reacted exactly the way he'd expected.

If she had it in her then she could have tried her hand at flirting with him to prolong her end of the deal but she imagined it being more likely that he'd just laugh at her.

Even so, with the way he'd looked at her when she was clean, she wasn't sure how long their deal would really last. It could be over as soon as tonight.

"Have you calmed down yet?" Xander asked as he walked out.

"Shut up."

"Not very nice." He commented, humor in his tone. "I keep telling you, nothing is gonna happen yet."

"Excuse me for not being a dragon know it all." Dove muttered, sitting up to look at him where she froze on the spot.

She'd always thought of dragons as a beautiful creature like the ones in the pictures books she had when she was little. Pretty colored scales, beautiful wings and big eyes that were wise with knowledge were what her opinions had been founded on. Should it be different for a dragon in the skin of a man?

Clean he was even more alluring then before. He was perfectly sculpting but still intimidating. Had she not known him and not been talking to him seconds before, even she would have been timid around him. She knew a few of the things he was capable of and still she argued with him because she could.

He'd apparently found clean pants for himself when he'd gotten clothes for her and it was all he wore. It was enough to heat her nerves up again and shrink away from him. He'd obviously had a reason for taking as long as he did. He'd cut his hair, making it much shorter then she would have expected but it allowed her to better look at the features in his face. Something about the shape of his jaw and eyes had her looking away from him after a moment.

A dragon cleaning up good wasn't something she had anticipated. She wouldn't have thought it was something they cared about but apparently, she was wrong.

"Come now, _happ_. That look doesn't suit you at all." He purred, suddenly much closer to her. She didn't even realize he had moved but his face was only inches from hers.

Dove frowned. "I don't have a look."

"My mistake." He chuckled, moving away and straightening up. "You stay here. I'm going to go steal something decent to eat."

"No." she stared. "I'm not getting left in here."

Xander chuckled. "It will be faster if I go on my own. I'm not gonna leave you here."

"Like I know that for sure." She glared.

"Oh you can be sure." He said, leaning down again to be eye level with her. "I haven't finished collecting from you. We're not done, you and I. Now you sit here and I'll be right back."

Dove stared for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't know what kind of docile woman your used to but I'm not gonna do anything you tell me to just because you can growl and hiss."

"Hmph." He grunted, sliding closer to straddle her hips and forced her deeper into the mound of pillows. He ignored her complaints and smirked at the involuntary jerking of her hips.

"You'll stay here because you'll get caught if you don't." he leaned down to growled softly. "And saving you from something stupid and avoidable was not a part of our deal."

She struggled anyway. "Don't you know dragons can squish people!" she yelled, trying in vain to shove him away.

"I'll do a lot more than that." He purred, running his tongue across her ear and she hissed, remembering full well what that tongue was capable of. "Now you stay here or you can better believe I'll do more to your hind end then the spanking you would deserve."

With a shudder she glared still, debating whether or not it was worth the argument.

He chuckled as he got up again. "I don't mind the fire in your eyes but I will be extremely pissed off if I have to hunt you down."

With that he slipped out of the room so silently that she wouldn't have noticed he was gone had she not been watching. He was the dangerous sort and she really needed to learn to tiptoe around him. If not she would be liable to get her head chewed off.

"This is bullshit." She muttered softly, getting up to take a look out the window. She'd only seen the outside for a brief moment after being taken away and learning the lay of the lands sounded like a good tactic she would have learned in history class. Other than that the only thing she could seem to remember was take the high ground and blend in. None of that actually seemed to be helping her now.

Looking out she could see other parts of the palace and with all the twists and turns she had to assume Xander was right. Nothing would lead them to this one room to find them. Not yet at least—even if they did sweep the rooms one but one, this one wouldn't be the first they looked in.

It was almost a shame that a place that looked as pretty on the outside as it did inside housed such a primitively thinking royal family. She wasn't raised under any particular monarch and seeing something like that out of a book only pissed her off. Had she actually lived here she'd no doubt she would be some renegade vigilante—that sounded good at least.

This wasn't the sort of thing she was raised to live in. Because the royal family feared greater powers then their own, they got rid of the ones that could one day over power them. All who were born with joint powers were killed.

Dove leaned against the wall and stared out the window as her fingers lightly traced the marks on her arm she knew so well. The mark that was a part of only one matching set.

That was the only reason she was here. It left a bitter taste in her month to know she was pulled away from her home and life, where she'd never harmed anyone, to be treated like a criminal. This was a Kingdom that needed to crumble under the weight of its own stupidity

Waving her hand to get a chair she slumped back with a sigh. It wasn't the sort of chair she was used to, the shape was odd and it was more padding than anything else but who was she to be a whiner about that. She wouldn't learn much from this window but she'd end up going insane peering around an empty room. She almost wanted to go take a bath again for the hell of it.

As good as an idea she thought it was, that wasn't how she wanted to be found. It was different before with Xander waiting for her one room over but the thought of being caught alone unnerved her. Her fingers twitched slightly and she suppressed the urge to peek outside into the hall to see if anyone was around.

If no one was—well that would just be boring. If someone was, she was screwed. There was no upside to that scenario so she stayed put, thinking of a ways to get out of the room other than using the door. A back up plan wouldn't hurt.

"Does sitting by the window sound like a good idea to you?" Xander asked in an exasperated tone as he slipped back inside, a pack probably filled with food in his hand.

She made a face, not looking up. "Rich people don't look inside their own windows."

"Servants do." He insisted, grabbing the back of the chair and pulling it away. "Didn't I tell you to stay there?" he asked, pointing to the mountain of pillows.

She turned to look up at him and raised an eye. "Following your demands was not a part of our agreement."

Xander stared at her for a second before smirking. "Well played. You might be as clever as I suspected yet."

"Was that a compliment? It was really bad." She muttered softly, stomach growling as the smell of the food hit her.

"Come sit." He said, sitting on the ground and spreading the food out.

"Thought I was, but okay." She muttered, sliding onto the floor and looking over the food with a small frown. Smelled delicious, looked strange.

He shook her head. "It's too damn bad if it's not to your liking. I took what was more than likely, not to be missed."

"No." Dove said quickly, looking up at him. "I'm not bitching about it, I've just never seen any of this before."

Xander stared at her for a moment before slowly raising an eye. "None of its poisoned so just eat."

"Okay." She muttered, reaching for the bread. Bread she recognized.

She feasted like a starved person and realized after a moment that it's exactly what she was. It would have been embarrassing had Xander not been eating just as fiercely. It was probably a lot harder for him to be full then it was for her. Once they slowed down he'd begun explaining to her the different fruits and meats he'd been able to snag. Some of them he simply explained that she'd be better off enjoying the taste without knowing where exactly it came from.

As hungry as she was, she took the advice. No sense ruining a momentarily good thing.

"Where are you from?" he asked, watching her carefully as they drifted into a comfortable silence. If nothing else they could eat together in peace.

Dove didn't answer for a few minutes; she just continued eating at a slower pace. "I was born near the _Girhpo Rogn_ River." She said finally. "Was a big place once. Not so much now."

"I'm familiar with it." Xander said, making her curse inwardly. "But where were you raised?"

She raised an eye. "Didn't I just fill you in on that?"

He chuckled softly. "That's where you were born? Perhaps I'll believe that, but if that were the case you would speak our language fluently, _happ_. Where were you raised?"

"Away from the _Girhpo Rogn_ River." She shrugged.

He sighed heavily, leaning back on his hands as he watched her. "Let's go over what I know then shall we?" he started, not waiting for her to comment. "You've a strange accent. You're a supposed cripple. You already know I don't believe that to be accurate. You're not dependent on your magic, and I would almost think you were a limited user had you not been using it in this room. You picked the locks to our chains and look at the Raaie with contempt. You don't speak our language. You don't know where it is you need to go once you get out, and you enlisted the aid of a dragon who could just as easily eat you as keep his word. Am I forgetting something?"

She frowned. "You plan on eating me?"

He smiled despite himself. "I could, but you're still skin and bones. Not delicious."

"Lucky me." She muttered softly, hand absently patting over her stomach. "Actually I think I ate way too much. Really not feeling good."

"Shit. I don't need to be taking care of a human, okay? Don't get sick."

Dove stuck her tongue out at him slowly and crawled back over to the pillow bed to lay back. It helped a little at least. She sighed heavily and hoped she could actually get a good night's sleep.

"Where are you from?" he asked, sitting next to her again, having moved silently once more.

She reached up to rub her eyes. "Why do you wanna know?"

His eyes rose. "I like to know who I'm dealing with. Who I'm in the middle of a deal with. Now out with it."

She made a face at him and closed her eyes. "I didn't grow up here."

"Obviously."

"I grew up on the other side. My mama calls in heaven. The King called it the Far Side."

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><p>Thanks for reading!<p>

**Whirlingwings-** Baron is..defiantly looking for a fight, that's for sure.

**Megg-** XD did that satisfy you for a while?

**LT**- Awe, thank you so much. You're 100% the reason this got posted. Thanks for the motivation ^_^

**Lares-** thanks for reading ^_^

A E I O U_ B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

I O U A E _ F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D


	10. Baron Plans

Hello everyone!  
>I'm late! My bad!<br>Sorry it's short.  
>You people need to learn to nag me a little…Enjoy.<p>

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><p>They didn't travel for as long as Baron had expected, but then, they never did. Magical transportation was one perk he had found that he liked. Dusty explained it to him by saying they were really moving much faster in reality then what it appeared to be to them. It meant they walked three hours and could stop since it was the equivalent of having walked all night.<p>

He still hadn't gotten used to it and it made him think of the moving sidewalks in airports.

They'd unpacked again, miles from where they had started from earlier that same night. Everyone took off quickly, doing their part to set up camp again. It seemed like more hassle then it was worth but he had to remind himself that these were all people who had lost their homes once already.

Baron helped Dusty and Ribbon with their things first just to keep him busy. He was getting quickly fed up with Arizona and her boys throwing him glances. He was getting tired of the world in general. It was backwards. Magic should have made a world colorful and sickly sweet and all those other things he'd read in story books when he was little. This was a place that was starting to remind him of a barren desert more and more. One that was just more alive than barren.

"You're looking tense." Haze mused, passing a flask over to Baron to drink from with a good humored smile. "My cousins giving you a hard way to go again?"

Baron grunted and drank before returning it to him. "You must be the only normal one in the family. Those three are way too intense."

"Intense is a good word for it," Haze agreed. "But I don't have their back bone is all. They're in the main branch of our family and I'm rather off to the side. I don't compare,"

"But you're likable." Baron said, laying his blanket out on the ground before stretching out on it. He waved a hand as if offering to let Haze do the same, which he did. "As much as some people don't like it, much of life is a popularity contest. Being a jerk won't get you that far in life. Those three need to pull the sticks from their ass,"

Haze choked back a laugh, pound on his chest for a moment as the liquid from his flask nearly went down the wrong way. "Nicely put." he coughed with a grin, "They just have trouble accepting our circumstances."

"They work for the Raaie and bark when he says speak. They opened that door themselves." Baron said, looking bemused. "Those actions have consequences."

"Yeah." Haze sighed. "It was far from the original plan. See at first they wanted to get in close to gain the Raaie's trust and well...you know. He doesn't know who we are after all."

Baron nodded, picking up one of the fruits Ribbon had given him. "Lavender said that. He was too stupid to know that he'd hired the thieves that gave him all the trouble."

"Not just that." Haze said, voice hushed as if fearing someone would hear. Baron had a suspicion that it was Arizona herself he didn't want to hear him. "We are the Magporisals bloodline. If he knew that, he'd kill us all. It's why I can't stomach the thought of them wanting to kill Dusty and Ribbons twins." He had paled considerably as he spoke. "Sure joint magic is outlawed and it would be a disaster if they were found, but our bloodline would be much worse if discovered."

Baron absorbed the information, but he didn't understand it. "Sorry, you said that before didn't you? What's a Magporisals?"

Haze raised a disbelieving eye.

"What? I wasn't raised on this stuff." Baron smiled wide. "Explain it to me."

With a faint sigh he gestured for Baron to share his fruit and started talking, "There were originally three bloodlines. Magporisals, Tadgitians, and Galhaners. All of them were from a royal ties and one of those three bloodlines was always on the throne. They were always on friendly terms long ago. The Magporisals, our bloodline had strong magic. Bluntly so. We were the warriors of the three bloodlines. The fighters who made sure the people were protected from threats and wars." He paused. "You see where Arizona, Canyon and Shade fit that description where I do not."

"I see them throwing their weight around while you're the bigger person, helping taking care of your large family." Baron said, gesturing to the entire camp. "It's all a matter of perception, my friend.

Haze cleared his throat, flushing faintly in embarrassment as he continued. "The Tadgitians were strong but in a different way. They were a smart and cunning people. They would get outlandish idea's that seemed to be impossible and they would act upon it when no one else could and the people prospered. Their luck and skill were incredible, but it ran out as you could imagine."

"I guess i could." Baron frowned.

"The Galhaners were the last to be in power. They are still in power. They are a force themselves but they were always good at manipulation. Their silver tongues wove lies that went unnoticed for a long time. They were the ones to declare war and destroy what the three bloodlines had built. They sought out power for themselves by killing off the other two bloodlines. We barely escaped but we are the only four remaining family members." He sighed very quietly. "The Tadgitians didn't fare so well. Most of their line was living in just one or two area's. They were very family oriented. Everyone one of them ended up slaughtered or burned during the joint magic raids."

"The raids." Baron muttered, feeling his throat go dry.

"Yes. At first it was meant to only kill one of the twins with joint magic, but they fought violently to protect them. Gave the Galhaners men a horrible battle, and gave the Raaie all the excuse he needed to demand all of them be killed. Really, he was probably just making sure all of the Tadgitians were gone,"

"It sounds horrible." Baron muttered, rubbing his face slowly. So many people died and for what? Being born.

Haze sighed quietly again, "It was very much so horrible, but it's why Arizona is the way she is. She feels the guilt in her veins. Our family able to do nothing. In a blind, unseen attack, our bloodline was ambushed and nearly completely destroyed. She wishes to change that somehow. The three of them signed up to be the Raaie's messengers to attempt to kill him, but it's a suicide mission. No good would come from that. If one of them couldn't take their place on the thrown, it would be a disaster. It's certainly not a position I want."

"I agree with you there." Baron chuckled. "So we've just moved into the line of fire haven't we? We're closer to the Raaie then before?"

"Yep. Probably for just a week or so. It'll give Arizona and the others a chance to kiss up to the Raaie a little and get their weapons sharpened and that sort of thing. They have minimal access to the _Sipigo_ so sometimes they do spend the night there."

Baron practically purred. "Access?"

"Sure. They work for the Raaie and all. They have the same access the servants would." Haze yawned, pulling himself up. "Think I'll head to bed. This moving spell wears me out."

"Sure." Baron chuckled. "I think I might in a while too."

The lie passed through his lips easily enough and he watched Haze stretch and head back to his tent. Everyone seemed to be thinking similarly since there weren't many up still. He on the other hand, felt fine. He got to his feet, ideas playing in his head so rapidly he had to hide his smile of assumed success. It was reckless.

Haze had used the word suicide.

Reckless? A suicide mission? Yes, he could work with that. Why not? Now or never. Do or die. He'd wasted so much time already just to get there.

He got up, doing his best not to race through the camp. "Dusty." He said, sitting down next to the man who eyed him curiously. "A favor?"

"Favor?" Dusty questioned.

"I need to know which way to the _Sipigo_ thing, and how it is that Arizona gets in." Baron said softly, cutting Dusty off before he could get scolded. "This may be my only shot."

For a long moment, Dusty stared him in the eye. A lesser man would have backed down from the gaze in an instant but Baron stared back and Dusty's shoulders finally tightened in defeat. "You know this is a bad idea."

"Yes. I know. But a worse idea is trying nothing. It's killing me to sit here night after night. This is our night." Baron said, knowing that at that moment he would have given anything to feel the other side of his powers again. To see her face. Touch her to make sure she was real. Punch the hell out of her for getting taken in the first place...

"You're not gonna back down from this, are you?" Dusty shook his head, looking back at Baron and taking in the determination of the boy. "You aren't tired from the move?"

Baron blinked, was he really supposed to be? He never had been before. "No."

"Perhaps that's a joint magic gift." Dusty rumbled. "Alright boy. I'll tell you what you want to know, but you better not die, you hear me?"

"Yes sir."

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><p><strong>B<strong> C **D** F **G** H** J** K **L** M **N** P **Q** R **S** T **V** W **X** Y **Z_** A **E** I **O** U

**F** G **H** J **K** L **M** N **P** Q **R** S **T** V **W** X **Y** Z **B** C **D_** I **O** U **A** E

Thanks for reading.

**T-Lynlyn**- I'm not sure about angst but the wheels are turning, yes?

**Underwater963-** thanks for reading!


	11. Dove Discovered

Woo late. ^_^

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><p>There was a silence between them for a long time afterwards. Dove laid curled up in the mound of pillows and Xander watched her. He hadn't asked any more questions so she didn't feel compelled to talk anymore. Where she was from didn't make much of a difference at this point.<p>

He moved to sit beside her but she pretended to ignore him. It was easier to close her eyes and hope she could get a moment of sleep but her back was to sore and her body was still battered. Food in her belly didn't change that. She was focusing too much on the pain to relax the way she really wanted to.

"As strange as you are I don't think I would have guessed you were raised in the Far side. I would think it would be more likely that you were just slightly crazed." Xander commented, knowing she was awake.

"I assumed it was something that shouldn't be advertised." She muttered.

"Mmph." He shrugged. "The Far side is barbaric, and there is little to no magic there. People there are born without it. Only few there can harness it in the growth process."

Dove blinked and looked up at him. "This is the primitive side if you ask me." His eyes slid to her and he gestured for her to continue.

"I love my magic, but I can go a day without using it. I have to or I could risk someone finding out about me." She explained. "So I learned around it. I can do things on my own. Picking locks was something I picked up when I was little, and it's helped me. Here everyone is much too dependent on their magic. If it was taken away they wouldn't know what to do. On the Far side technology has taken over the world and I can do incredible things and magic isn't a factor at all."

Xander was silent for a moment before laughing. "I would like to see what kinds of things you are capable of without magic. I imagine you are more impressive then I first gathered."

She smiled a little. "Things here are beautiful. The magic in the air makes my chest feel good like it's easier to breathe. Outside is beautiful because it isn't crowded with housing development. You're a dragon for crying out loud. That's so cool. But I'd rather live happy with my moma, aunt and brother in the world of technology. With our magic only staying in the house and making us connected then living in fear of a King and Queen wanting to kill me because of a magic I was born with."

"You're a wise girl, I guess." He sighed. "How did you get here?"

She shrugged. "Some asshole grabbed me from behind and pulled me back into an ally. He wrote on the wall with something that looked like a green flame and suddenly I'm here. Tied up and gagged and getting the crap kicked out of me."

"A bounty." He muttered. "The _Lirhpov'w_ must be getting desperate for money."

"A bounty?"

Xander nodded again. "All those with joint magic were killed many years ago. I'm amazed you survived. You're probably one of few adult sets left, if not the only one. Occasionally one cripple is found and the _Lirhpov'w_ hunt them and turn them into the Raaie for a bounty."

"Why would they look for the other half? I thought the point of only killing one twin was because it left them weakened and there'd be no point in killing them." Dove said, thinking hard on what she was being told. Even if she stayed quiet about her brother they really would have killed her anyway.

"Yes. About ten years ago there was a cripple by the name of Kingly. Even without his other half his powers grew something fierce and he nearly assassinated the Raaie and Raii. Since then, they've been rounding up the cripples to finish what they started." Xander said, speaking softly as he understood it was a tender topic for her.

"So they hunt still. Are there really any left here?" she asked, feeling sick for a different reason.

"Of your age? I don't know." Xander said. "But that doesn't stop them from being born."

Dove looked up at him with a horrified expression. "They're killing babies?"

He didn't answer, but then he didn't have to. Trying to kill her as a baby was the whole reason her mother hid them in the first place. It shouldn't have been so much of a surprise.

"I'm sorry." He said instead.

"I'd really like for you to eat the King and Queen." She muttered softly.

He laughed bitterly. "Believe me, _happ_, I'd love to if given the chance. That sounds like a disgusting dinner but I'd stomach it."

She nodded. "Not that you need more of a reason then what you just told me, but why do you hate them so much?"

He growled softly and leaned back. "The only reason I'm not snapping at you now is because you were not raised here and couldn't possibly know." He said, voice rough with loathing. "The Raaie likes to hunt dragons for sport, and much like with you humans, he aims for the very young."

"I'm sorry." Dove said immediately. "You don't need to say anymore than that."

He grunted his agreement and folding his arms over his chest. "What's surprising." He continued with a sigh. "Is that this _Lirhpov'w_ had a lantern."

She blinked slowly, obviously not understanding.

"A lantern is what we would call that green flame that you saw." He elaborated. "It's the fastest way to connect here to the Far side. There were once many of them but with barbaric as the Far side was, no one ever cared to venture there. They're less than ten that survived and the Raaie is in possession of six of them."

"Charming but what's the point? They don't wanna go there." Dove muttered.

He smiled a little. "True, but its greed plain and simple. They want them so no one else can have them."

"That's fucked up."

"Yes." He nodded. "You being on the Far side must have interested them. Hence the torturing you for information whether you had what they wanted or not. I'd imagine they were trying to figure out if there were others like you there."

"I really wouldn't know all that..." She stared, falling back against the pillows again. It was already dark outside but she wasn't finding sleep the way she wanted.

"Are you lying?" Xander asked, watching her. She ignored him.

Dove rubbed a hand over her stomach and sighed. It was good to be full but it would have been better to be home.

"Curious myself over what other secrets you hold." Xander mused, his fingers trailing up her leg slowly, forcing goose bumps to appear across her skin. One touch and the knot in her stomach returned.

Dove scowled, pulling her leg away from him. "Didn't you already have your fill today?"

"Mm, no." he chuckled darkly, throwing his leg over her side where she laid to straddle her waist without crushing her. "And as much as you hate it, I can smell and feel your every little reaction."

She blushed dark but ignored it as she continued to glare up at him and struggle half-heartedly. He had to have had a power to him to make her feel such a way. He had to have had some power…This wasn't the kind of thing she'd just do without a fight or reason. She was apparently sacrifice material.

"Xander—"

He cut her off instantly, not wanting to hear her lying complaints. Skipping her whining and going right into the part that was enjoyable for both of him was what he was aiming for. He was devouring her in a kiss that left her arms limp at her sides and pulled moans from her effortlessly. Her mind was clouded over with lust and she hardly even realized she was letting him have his way with her.

Pushing her shirt up and out of the way he nearly growled at the sight of her bra. Seeing no need for it he ripping it in half and tossed the pieces away before his hand found the tight mound of her breast that had been begging to be touched. Her moans grew the instant he stared fondling the one expertly.

"Xand—"

"Shh, little virgin." He cooed against her lips, trailing his roughly down her jaw and neck until he began sucking teasingly on her throat. She tilted her head back on her own accord and moaned, thrust her chest out towards him involuntarily.

Dove squirmed more—much to his delight—when he continued his same malicious torture against her nipple that was hard and shamelessly waiting for his full attention. Her hips moved all on their own, dragging against his hips at every opportunity and as the first groan passed his lips her body ignited further and her rhythm sped up wanting to feel him worse then she had earlier.

"Impatient." He taunted, pushing her hips back down and rubbing circles against her pelvic bone as he lips united with her breasts. The taste was perfect and her skin was softer then he imagined. Even being under fed and left to rot in a cell for a month didn't spoil her for him. The sharp cry she sounded suddenly as he pulled at her nipple with his teeth thrilled him.

She kicked helplessly, unable to wrap her legs around him since he was the one straddling her waist. She reached up to grip his hair but since he'd cut most of it off she was left with very little to grip and opted to hold onto the back of his neck which had him growling instantly. The sound sent her spiraling down into a sea of ecstasy and already she felt that knot in her stomach tightening and he'd hardly touched her.

He alternated between her breasts and just as the sting would leave one he would switch again to the other, ensuring that both of her breasts would be red, covered in love bites and completely swollen from his actions. Already her nipples ached from the torture but she only moaned louder and more pleasure filled her then pain. His sharp fangs did more than she would have ever given them credit.

Xander pressed his hips down to hers, pinning her lower half beneath him and forcing a small whimper to pass her lips. It was hard being so filled with lust and disappointingly unsatisfied at the same time.

He whispered to her dirty ideas that made her shiver and just the thought of his honey-laced threats sent her to a new plateau of bliss that she'd never experience before. Something about him was so exotic that she couldn't resist. She may have needed him to keep his part of the deal but that this moment she wanted nothing more than for him to take the sacrifice he bargained for.

His careful ministrations had her so aroused that she'd long since forgotten they were hiding and her cries grew louder with every caress that made her flesh tighten and quiver.

"I really could devour you." He purred, running his tongue up her stomach, from her navel to the valley between her breasts and she couldn't do a thing other than pant heavily and arch her back so she was closer to him.

"You're so close." He cooed, leaning up to whisper in her ear again. With every word she suppressed the urge to twitch and buck up towards him. "Wet, ready, willing. The perfect morsel for one such as myself."

Dove bit her lip, limbs feeling too heavy to move but she didn't seem to have any trouble with her reflexes that responded to his every teasing touch.

"I wonder how you would respond to find yourself completely nude under me." He said, his voice seductively low. She quivered and they were both so far gone that they nearly jumped out of their skin when the door opened.

Xander lowered himself on top of her quickly, not only hiding her bare breasts protectively but hiding the birthmark on her arm that would have revealed too quickly who they were.

"I'm sorry!" the girl whispered loudly, her voice was frantic and her face was a bright red. It was obviously how she knew what she walked in on. "I'm really sorry but you're being loud and really need to be quiet, _Spoiwo_."

Dove got up quickly, struggling to find her shirt to cover herself as Xander stood in front of her. She'd never expected him to be such a gentleman but she appreciated it anyway.

"Who are you? How did you know to come here?" Xander frowned. "This area of the _Sipigo_ is empty."

"Yes." The girl said meekly. "This is the hall Reece Jester brings his…women."

Dove raised an eye and didn't want to think about the things the Prince did. Nor did she like being in a room where he brought his women.

"I figured it was something like that. So?" Xander stared and the girl quivered from fear. It was obvious she knew she stood before a dragon.

"Take it easy." Dove muttered, touching his leg once she was covered again. He looked down at her and sat back next to her but gestured for the girl to answer his question.

"Reece Jester will be in two rooms over very shortly. When I heard urm—sounds—I assumed the crip—the lady must be hiding here." She mumbled quickly.

Dove turned a dark shade of red, knowing what the noises were and she glared in Xander's direction before turning her eyes back towards the girl. "Thanks for the heads up."

She frowned. "Heads up?"

"The warning." Dove elaborated, rubbing the back of her head. "But why do you care?"

"I—I don't really like pointless harm." She stuttered.

"Hrm." Xander muttered, looking less then convinced.

Dove sighed, laying back against the mountain of pillows and trying to ignore the aching of her breasts. "What's your name?"

"Blossom." She mumbled hesitantly.

"Mhm." Dove muttered. "How long does Jester stay over there."

She blinked slowly. "Until he's finished."

Xander snorted in amusement. "All of six minutes, eh?"

"Xander." Dove scolder, suppressing a large grin. She shook her head as if that would push it off her face but it didn't.

"What?" he stared at her innocently. "I believe I'm in the process of proving to you that human males are rather lacking."

"Yeah, okay, shut up." Dove laughed softly, looking back at the girl who was apparently a maid or something close to it. "I don't suppose I can get you to keep it a secret that we're here."

"Yes." She said softly. "He alternates rooms in a pattern. He won't be using this one for another week."

"Good to know." Xander commented, "And I don't suppose I have to tell you what I'll do to you if we're found here."

Blossom swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Xander, calm down." Dove muttered, but wasn't sure if she should even bother. He'd know more then she would if the timid girl was really a threat to them.

"I—I will do my best to bring you breakfast in the morning." She whispered before slipping out as quickly as she could manage.

Dove looked to Xander slowly and let a few moments pass before speaking. "Are we in worse trouble now."

He shook his head once. "I don't think so, but we'll find out soon enough. She could have easily just let us get caught."

"She looked scared to death of you." She muttered.

He laughed softly. "I'm flattered you think her fears were solely of me."

"Weren't they?"

"How would you feel about working here?" Xander asked, leaning down to lay next to her before stretching slightly.

"Sick."

"Exactly. How do you think she knows where the brat will be sleeping?" he asked her, closing his eyes. "When women are in short supply, go for the hired hand."

Dove's eyes widened slowly. "That poor girl."

"Yes. Not a pleasant place, is it?" he mused.

She sat up slowly and shook her head. "No. I really do feel sick now." The girl looked like she was in her mid-twenties but something about her was so young, Dove couldn't imagine her being the Prince's toy. It was sickening.

Xander leaned up, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her to lay back. "It's not as bad as you're thinking. Close your eyes and get the sleep you deserve." He murmured against her ear and just as quickly she was out.

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p> 


	12. Baron Caught

Yay. Double update. ^_^

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><p>Baron was cursing softly to himself. He hadn't stopped but once and it was already closer to morning then he wanted it to be. It was always easier to sneak in and out of places when it was dark and he was losing that advantage fast.<p>

He followed the directions Dusty had reluctantly given him and the castle really wasn't that far off. He could even see it in the distance waiting for him. It just seem like no matter how many steps he took, he wasn't getting any closer. He chalked it up to nerves and wasn't going to let that stop him. It had been weeks and this was as close as he had gotten.

However reassuring that was didn't make him any less comforted. Every sound and animal in the trees had him jumpy.

There was movement behind him but when he looked around he saw nothing but a rodent creature scampering up into a tree, he sighed. It was almost irritating him at how hyper alert he was when there seemed to clearly be nothing out with him besides wild life. As he was shaking his head at himself something thudded against his back, just between his shoulder blades making him hiss in pain and go down to one knee before he realized he was doing it. He didn't have time to recover before a hand gripped his hair, pulling his head back until he was forced to meet the familiar face of the woman who stood behind him.

"I knew you were trouble" Arizona stared down at him with an icy gaze and he couldn't help swallowing hard when he felt something cold and thin press against his throat. It was hard to mistake the feeling of a blade.

"I think you just missed me already, Arizona." he muttered, staring up at her and not even attempting to move.

"Don't make me kill you Baron. Make it easier on us both and drop the key." She said seriously.

"I need the key." he smiled faintly. He should have known he couldn't steal from her and let it go unnoticed. "Well actually I probably don't need the key. Picking locks really isn't all that hard, but I do need to know what door the key opens."

"I don't care if you need it. You are not my concern. You're gonna get yourself killed and I refuse to let you take my family with you by having that key." She pressed the blade into his skin until it stung, "Last chance Barron."

He just continued to stare up at her. "Then point out the door to me and I'll give you the key back."

"Give back the key or you'll never leave this spot." She said coldly.

"That's a big of a problem for me." he said, smiling at her as he held the key up. "I was going to bring it back."

"Yes well if you were to survive it would be miraculous and I don't bet on miracles." She released his hair and snatched it from his grasp, removing the blade from his throat carefully.

"I do, being a miracle myself." he chuckled. "Show me which door that key opens and I won't need it."

"I'm not going to encourage you to waste your life." She said instead, turning to go back the way she came.

Baron reached out, grabbing her arm. "I'm going regardless. It all boils down to whether or not I go in a side door, or the front."

"I'm not going to be guilted." she tossed him a glare.

"I'm not trying to guilt you into anything. I could have done that long ago if it was my intention." Baron sighed. "Front door it is."

"All over a damned woman." she rolled her eyes. "If you'd like to die for love then you do that on your own but stop trying to involve me and my family in your hero issues."

"Your family caused my issue." he glared slowly. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of this mess that I haven't been involved in for seventeen years."

"My family involved you? I have never seen you before. Don't lie." she shook her head.

He released her. "So quick to assume I'm the one lying. Forget it. I gotta find her."

"If you weren't lying you'd fight for your truth" she stared at him, "You have never proven to me you weren't lying about anything."

Baron paused, staring at her as he pulled up the cuff of his sleeve to show her the marks that started at his knuckled and stretch up his arm.

Arizona stared hard at it for a long moment before a realization seemed to set in, "Who is in the Raaie's castle Baron?"

"My sister." He frowned, turning to leave again. "And if she's hurt...I'll kill everyone inside."

"Rather than get her out alive?" Arizona sighed, "You're still so foolishly prideful."

"Not your problem, is it, hunter?" he said, continuing to walk away from her.

"Where are you from Baron" Arizona sighed, walking after him, "Why do you accuse my family."

"You don't just think my sister waltzed in there? I saw her struggling with Canyon. I just couldn't get there in time." He said, sounding overly bitter and agitated.

"I don't remember a girl lately" Arizona mused.

"We're not from here." he shrugged.

"I've gathered that Baron. My cousin was just doing his job. He would have taken you both had he known you were alive. You should consider it a blessing." Arizona sighed.

"Seventeen years ago when my pap died, our moma faked our deaths and burned or house to the ground." he said, pulling out the lantern he'd gotten from his mother to travel there. "She used this to run away with us and start new. I used it and followed my sister back here. My moma's heart is breaking now."

She stared at it for a moment and sighed, running her fingers through her hair, "He said he found her on the way to the dump site, not at the dump site. I would not have approved taking someone from another realm..."

"Excuse me for not caring what you would or would not have approved of." he muttered, making his way through the trees.

"I'm apologizing Baron." She said more gently, "You WERE out of this and you should not have been pulled into it."

"Tell that to my sister." he muttered, staring up at the castle that was just up ahead. He'd wasted a lot of time talking and wanted to find her before the sun came up but already he could see it sun peaking over the horizon. "Dusty told me what happens with the ones brought in."

Arizona grabbed his wrist, pulling him back, "Then you shouldn't want to fail like you will if you keep going the way you're headed."

He raises an eye. "You've made it very clear that it's not your business."

"You were being evasive" She shot back, "If you make her your priority, and don't waste this opportunity by going after the Raaie then I will help you. Because I will be damned if I help you in there for him to capture you."

"No one is gonna kill us when she and I are together. I just gotta find her." he muttered, staring at the castle that was oddly built compared to what he was used to seeing.

"Don't be over confident. I know the rumors about joint magic, but I will not help you if I know you're only going to waste my efforts" She shook her head, "I require an honest agreement."

"Sure." he smiled, giving her an overly amused look.

"There is only one way you're making it inside the building." Arizona sighed, letting him go now that she had his attention, "And it's not with a key."

Baron's gaze shifted to hers. Her tone saying he wasn't going to like what she had to say. "I'm listening."

"I can get you passed guards and possibly get you a blade..." She mused thoughtfully, "I can get you down to the dungeons and open whichever stall she's held in if she's there. Typically there's one guard and the black smith in the weapons chamber, if we're lucky no one will be grabbing supplies so that will be empty. We should be able to get out. Stick to the thickets."

"I have all the weapons on me I need so I'm not very concerned about that, but thank you." He said, staring at the castle with a particular amount of malice. "But how do you plan on getting me in?'

"You'll have to wear these until we get to the dungeons. I hope you really are armed because there's no magic." She mused, holding up what looked like metal shackles.

He sighed heavily. "This is putting way to much trust in you." he muttered, holding his wrists out to her.

"If you'd like to see my honesty, you're welcome to." She shook her head, "These drain magic as well, you do need to trust me, and you need to act like a prisoner. Not that it will be hard for you to act like you despise me."

"I don't despise you." He said, still holding his writs out to her. "Like me, I just think you're too young to have the weight of this world on your shoulders."

"I'm supposed to have more than this on my shoulders." She attacked the surprisingly light metal to his wrists with a soft click. The weight, though, was in the sudden emptiness as his powers dissipated as though they were sucked into the dull shackles.

"I heard all about that, princess." he smiled faintly. "Maybe it's why I believe you."

"Well now I know why you speak another language sometimes." She raised an eyebrow, "What is princess?"

He chuckled. "A royal lady such as yourself. Sorry, I don't know the word for it here. A King is a Raaie, not sure what a Raaie's daughter would be called here. Where I'm from, it's a princess."

"Oh...I am of no relation to him, you were informed of that?" She said carefully.

"No. I know you have no relation to him, but you're still a princess to me." he grinned.

She nodded slightly "If my family was still alive and in power I would be Rees. But now I would be more likely to take the title Raii. A female ruler or the wife to the ruler. I will hold onto your personal items because the guard may be inclined to search you. Anything besides your cloths. If there's anything you do not care for we'll leave it here otherwise I will carry it."

"I'm particularly good at conjuring. Once the cuffs are off I can summon and of my things I left with Dusty. We should still be close enough for me to get them." He shrugged. "I'm fine." Baron said, watching the sun rise. "I want to hurry."

"You have the lamp" She pointed out, "That and other things they will question and worse, take."

He nodded reluctantly, handing it to her. "I need that to get home..." he stared at her, stating the obvious.

"I'll get it back to you Baron. As soon as I can take those off I'll let you go" She promised, gesturing to the shackles before tucking it away, "Is there anything else you're carrying?"

"No." he shook his head. "I was going to summon or steal anything I needed. I travel light."

"Alright" She nodded, taking his elbow gently, "Come."

"How much of a pain do you want me to be?" he mused with a chuckle as they continued walking. "If I'm to play the part of a prisoner."

"I almost feel like I should hit you or something. Just act...I don't know...like you've given up." She shrugged. "I've never faked this sort of thing."

"Sure," he shrugged. "I'm good at that kind of thing. Pretending to be someone else. It's a game my sister and I would play when we were little. I've been so worried about her I can't do it properly these days."

"Well try to do it well for now. I don't want to set off any alarms until we've got her." She mused.

He nodded. "I know how this works so just hit me if you have too. I'd rather not get caught while I still have these damn chains on."

"The key only must touch the metal for it to open. I will make sure you have at least the chance to fight." She nodded, her pace picking up slightly, "Let's hurry before my nerves kick in over it."

"Yep." he muttered, walking with her in the same pace until they got to the door. It wasn't as grand as he expected but he knew nothing about castles, let alone ones from this world. Fortunately though it did allow him to get a good look at the lock as Arizona opened the key and he was sure if it came down to it, he could pick any of them.

As soon as the doors opened he took a few steps back, glaring at Arizona in refusal to enter. It only took him a second longer to wipe the smile off his face, but he was going to make her shove him inside.

She played her role, grabbing the back of his shirt and shoving him inside, earning a smile from the older man who sat back in surprisingly comfortable looking chair.

"Always go for the wild ones don't you, Arizona." He chuckled, watching her as she looked around a bit before her gaze settled on him, "Yup. All by myself lately. Took my keys like I'm going anywhere."

"Bitch." Baron growled, having no idea if they'd understand him or not but the insulting was clear either way. His eyes scanned the room and he was surprised to find it emptier then he expected.

"Something's happened?" She asked, kicking Baron in the knees. It wasn't hard enough to hurt him but it was enough for him to understand the reaction she wanted so he went down and gave a pained sound.

"Apparently they've forgotten how to handle dragons and it took itself a snack. They're missing a dragon and a cripple from the dungeons." The old man grinned with amusement, "I only wish I could witness it. I'll gather they're running around like a bunch of scattered chickens."

"Hm..Dragons are nothing to toy with for certain." She agreed, burying any farther reaction, "I don't think I'll be leaving so soon if they're on the grounds."

"If they were, they're gone now. Most of the guards with them, running all over the place. There's no way they'll catch that dragon again." He shook his head before leaning in and adding more quietly, "But that's if they left."

"You think there's a dragon and a cripple running around the_ Sipigo_?" She raised an eyebrow, appearing convincingly disbelieving.

"I don't think anything. But I do know that most of the _Sipigo_ is never used. And how much do you think they really checked? Hiding where they wouldn't expect you to could be smart." the man shrugged, "Would be something I'd do. Back when I actually cared about that sort of thing."

"If you say so, Claw. I'm going to assume the Raaie wouldn't care much for new prisoners with his pride so wounded." She mused, "I'll put him in the dungeon and then I'll bring you back my dagger to look at once I've eaten."

"You do that Miss. It's all slow going with everyone so distracted." The older man smiled contently, tucking his hands behind his head as Arizona grabbed Baron under his arm and hauled him to his feet.

"I can walk on my own." Baron snapped, pulling away from her once he was on his feet. He did his best not to gawk at the word dragon. He'd heard stories from his mother but that was far different then actually hearing about one in the present tense. Especially one that could potentially be with his sister. He'd heard the term cripple a few times already and if they were supposed to be so scarce, he could at the very least hope it was her.

He let Arizona lead him out and was surprised that the black smith seemed to have been telling the truth. It was all but empty.

"Not bad..."

Arizona looked around the stock room, "It will be much easier getting out this way, but this means we may run into guards beyond the _Sipigo_ or its grounds. And worse than that she's with a dragon."

"I'm not worried just yet. I only know dragons from stories but they eat people right? He'd eat her, not run off with her. I think she's handling it okay." Baron said, holding the cuffs up to her for her to take the hint and unlock them. "At least, I hope so."

"There will be at least one guard at the entrance to the dungeons" She shook her head.

Baron sighed, looking fairly put out as he followed along but stopped abruptly. "Dungeons are down right?"

"People generally don't like to think of them so yes, below the normal living quarters." She looked at him as thought there was something wrong with him for asking.

"Take them off." he said, holding them out to her. "We're not going down."

"You are not going after the Raaie." She narrowed her eyes.

"No I'm not. Dove isn't in the dungeon." he smiled brightly. In that moment he looked genuinely pleased. "She's somewhere above us."

"You can't possibly know that." She stared at him.

"She's alive." he said shakily. "Get these damn things off of me."

"You..." She stopped and sighed removing her cloak and tossing it around his shoulders, fastening it so it wouldn't fall off,

"You tell me where we need to go and I will get you there but do not cause a scene."

He held the cuffs up, "Yeah, fine. I still want these off."

She pulled the key from a small back and touched it to each clasp, catching the metal as it fell off before attaching it to her belt where it belonged and slipping the key back into its hiding place. She looked him over before gabbing her dagger and its sheath and handing it to him, "Put it on your belt."

"I don't want your weapon." he frowned. "We need to go up a level."

"And if we come across a guard, I want to be able to at least pull off us heading to sleeping quarters. I can't do that when you don't even look remotely like a hunter." She shoved it against his chest. "Play the part."

"Yeah, yeah, scary hunter." he muttered, taking the dagger and shoving it through his belt. "Stairs, woman!"

"Apprentice..." She rolled her eyes, turning to lead him the other way.

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p> 


	13. Lucky

Triple update! Because I can…. ^_^  
>Here we have a flash back. Let's take it back seventeen years.<p>

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><p>Their solution was dirty and horrid. Their solution was nothing more than the slaughter of lives for the sake of coating rooms in red. It was killing pointlessly and nothing would come from it but a plethora of fresh graves.<p>

Ever since the Raaie spoke out it had been nothing but bloodshed. All those born with joint magic had to make a choice. One would die in order to cripple the other. Together they were too unstable to leave on their own. They couldn't be left to their own devices any longer.

Lucky peeked out her window and could feel the heat on her face from the neighboring home that had been torched. Her village had turned into pure chaos with the soldiers going from door to door, looking for anyone that was a wielder of joint magic. It wasn't something that could be hidden. Most twins were born with it and they wore the magic on their skin. Born with identical markings down their opposite arms.

Soldiers were going to every house, searching for anyone and everyone with joint magic and picking one on sight to murder. The other was to be left forever a cripple, unable to fully harness the magical potential they should have had. With the other half dead their own powers would wane and decrease.

It didn't matter who opposed the decree. If they spoke out too loud, they were taken down too. The night before was the last time she'd seen her husband. She didn't need to see a body to know what happened to him. He was brave but foolish. It was as if he thought that sacrificing himself would save his children, it only scared them.

The adults with joint magic hardly stood a chance, what were the odds the babies could do anything. There was so much death.

Not to her babies, she couldn't let that happen.

"Baron _payo_." She whispered, closing the curtain and kneeling in front of the little boy. She took a thin scarf and tired it around her two-year-olds mouth. "Moma needs you to be quiet, kay? Very, very quiet."

He stared up at her with wide, tear filled eyes and nodded confused.

Lucky pushed away a large wicker chair and pried the floor boards loose before scooping the boy up and setting him down inside.

"Moma?" Dove whimpered, scared from the screaming outside the door.

"Stay right here. Moma will get you when its safe." she whispered to Baron, tears already in her eyes as she replaced the floorboards and chair. She could hear her boy whimpering from the dark and only hoped he would remember to stay quiet.

"Get away from the door, Dove." she said, grabbing her daughter's hand to pull her away. "I'll keep you safe."

Lucky swallowed down her nerves and went about trashing her little home. Even going as far as to lay the wicker chair on its side so it wouldn't be looked at too closely.

She pulled a knife out just as she heard the stomping around her home. She knelt down, covering Dove's eyes before slicing into her own thigh. With a loud cry she splattered the blood out into the room, creating stains on the floor. It was easy to make it appear being more blood then what there really was.

She screamed loudly, the moan turning into sobbing as she evaporated the knife and the banging on her door increased.

"Moma?" Dove whispered.

"Cry, sweetie, cry." she whispered, holding her daughter tightly to her chest. It didn't need to be so much of an act for her.

Her husband was dead and the thought of losing either of her children was an unmistakable pain. When the soldiers entered she screamed and cried. "Monsters!"

The commander in charge moved forward, taking in the pitiful state of the house. His eyes zoned in on Dove's markings and he had the nerve to give the pair a sympathetic look.

"Not my daughter!" she yelled, feigning hysterics. She was trying to be loud just in case Baron couldn't keep quiet. She'd cover any sounds he'd make. "You've taken my son! Get out!"

The solider frowned. "You've been hit already I take it."

"Out!" Lucky sobbed. "Get out! Get out."

She clutched Dove tightly to her chest, rocking her back and forth. The little girl cried, confused and scared. Her mother was crying and she didn't know what was happening.

"There was no mark on your door." another solider frowned.

"Why mark it when you'll burn it down!" she screamed. "Get out! She's all I have left! Get out!"

"Let's go." The Commander said softly, ushering her men out. "The girl is already a cripple there's nothing more for us here."

Lucky shook violently, her nerves dissolving as she rocked Dove.

As the door shut she heard the scratching on her door and whimpered from the shock. Had it worked? Breathing shaking she wiped her eyes.

"Please be calm for moma." she whispered, sliding Dove under three large pillows she had tossed on the floor. She ran to shove the chair aside and retrieve Baron out from under the floorboards.

"Moma?" he cried, when she removed her scarf from around his mouth. His face was tear stained and pale.

"Oh _payo._ Oh, my Baron. Moma is so sorry." she whispered, hugging him tightly as she carried him over to hide with his sister. "Be quiet for moma." she pleaded, praying no one else would knock on her door.

She grabbed a bag and filled it to the brim in a panic. She wouldn't let her babies be killed for the crime of being born. She searched her home quickly; resigning herself to leaving her departed husbands things behind. She couldn't carry them all with her no matter how she wanted too. All that remained was her wedding amulet and his that were around her neck securely. That was enough.

The last item she grabbed was a small box that had been passed down to her from the family line she cared nothing for.

She sat on the floor with her twins for a long moment and waited. She had agreed to wait but knew time was running out.

Five minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

She was losing patience and her children held onto each other and sobbed. When she stood in defeat to leave the others behind her name was hissed.

"Lucky. Let us in. Now."

She ran to the door without caution and threw it open. "Dusk." The dark skinned man rushed in with his two infants in his arms. A group barreled in after him and the door was slammed shut again.

"This is it?" Luck asked, looking at the meager group. She had hoped there would be more than this. She turned to Dusk who had blood shot and worried eyes. "Where is Bell?"

"Dead." Dusk swallowed, holding his boys tightly. The boys who weren't even yet a year old would never remember their mother.

Lucky let the pain cross her face as she scooped her twins up in her arms, Baron and Dove both sniffing back tears that kept falling. She peered around the room; only seven groups of twins of various ages had made it.

"There's no one else." One of them muttered, hugging her sister to her.

"Lucky," Dusk said softly. "Please save us."

Lucky nodded, holding out her twins to one of the others for a moment while she prepared herself. "Only one thing we can do."

She opened the box she had retrieved before, dropping it on the floor as she took out what it held inside.

"Here we go." she said softly, taking out a small, oddly shaped white tube. It was the lantern she'd sworn only to use in an emergency. She wrote on the wall and the design burst into greenish yellow flames as the doorway opened. Grabbing her bag and her twins she stepped forward, fully aware that she could have been walking into another death trap. She let the others go ahead of her while she took care of her last bit of business; setting fire to the floor of her home. It would burn with the other houses and the doorway behind her would close. If she really was lucky, no one would ever know. Stepping through into the Far side she prayed and prayed for the safety of her twins.

Lucky woke up disoriented and lightheaded. She'd never used the lantern to travel before but she hadn't imagined it being such a rough ride. Through the exhausting weeping and blood loss probably did nothing to help her.

Laying in the grass she blinked her eyes open.

"Moma?" Baron cried, pulling on her shirt as she sat up. He held onto Dove's hand with his other though the little girl was asleep with her head on her mother's hip.

"Moma's okay, _payo_." She said softly, moving Dove into her lap and pulling Baron into her arms snuggly.

They were alone. The others having gone before her had obviously landed elsewhere. It became a sickeningly helpless feeling, but at least her babies were with her and not taken from her.

This was about as far into her plan as she had thought out. Now she was at a complete loss. The Far side was safe from the deranged Raaie but what was she to do? She knew little to nothing about this place. She sat in a grassy area with a few trees scattered around. Without knowing where she could go she had to pick someplace vague for the lantern to send them.

"Moma?" Baron looked up at her shyly. "House go?"

"I know,_ payo_. That's not our house anymore." Lucky muttered, hugging her twins tight and dragging her bag back to her side. She needed to learn about this world fast to get by. It was said to be too barbaric for words. She could very well have put them in more danger.

With the sun peeking over the horizon she swallowed her panic. Were days safer here or nights? Beyond the trees she saw large structures to which she'd never seen the like. They were straight up and taller than even the Raaie's _Sipigo._

People started strolling by her on the pathway, holding bags and cups and wandering along. She propped her bag up to keep her twins from direct view and most barely gave her a second glance. Their clothes were strange but pretty and though she'd seen less them ten people she wouldn't have used the word barbaric to describe them.

Now she was torn between wishing to be completely ignored and hoping someone would stop to talk to her just so she could gather information, or at the very least, gain a little confidence to talk to someone herself.

Baron watched her from where he laid in her lap, chewing on his bottom lip helplessly. "Eat moma?"

She froze, staring at her children with wide eyes. Had she packed food? Had she done something completely idiotic?

"Soon." she said instead, voice quivering.

She tried to pretend she was invisible now that she felt completely ill. Would she even be able to feed her twins? Had she merely prolonged their death?

A woman came running down the path in a slow jog and seemed to be doing it only because she felt like it. When her eyes drifted to Lucky she slid to a stop and stared bluntly.

"What the hell kind of domestic violence..." she muttered. "You okay, chick?"

Lucky was stunned. Not only was the woman walking to her but her accent was strange.

"Awe," she cooed as she moved closer, "Your kids are so cute."

"Thank you." Lucky whispered hugging them tighter.

"What the hell are you sitting out here with them for? You look roughed up, sweetie."

Lucky stayed silent. Was talking to this woman a mistake?

"Oh my God! Is that blood? Are you bleeding? You need and ambulance or something?"

Lucky shook her head. Was she still bleeding?

"Eat moma?" Baron asked softly again, his stomach growling loud.

"I'm sorry, _payo_." she whispered.

The woman stared at her after eyeing her bag. "You get evicted or something?"

"I'm new to this place." Lucky muttered. "I have nothing."

The woman nodded slowly. "What's your name sweetie?"

"Lucky"

"Lu...No kidding? Lucky? Well that's cool I guess. My name is Jessica."

Lucky gave her an equally strange look. "Jessica?"

"Yeah. How about you take a stroll with me and we'll get your kids something to eat?" Jessica asked.

Lucky immediately felt her eyes wash over with tears. We're all people here so nice? "I don't know." she muttered.

"C'mon sweetie. This town is pretty safe but who knows where the killers, muggers, and rapists are these days." Jessica said, leaning down to pick up Lucky's bag. "I have a town house not too far from here."

"Town house?" Lucky asked as she stood up slowly with her babies.

"Yep, it's real cute." Jessica said mistaking her confusing for something else. "Oh shit, your leg is covered in blood!"

"I'm fine." Lucky said, ignoring the stinging pain.

Dove yawned, and nuzzled her face into her neck. Finally awake she looked around. "Pap?"

"No Dove, no pap." Lucky said softly, heart sinking as the little girl's eyes filled with tears.

"Pap?"

Baron frowned, sucking on his thumb hard from hunger.

"C'mon, we'll cut through this path here." Jessica muttered, sensing something horribly wrong happening. The poor woman looked heart broken and scared with her two little children. "Shorter walk."

"Thank you." Lucky said softly.

"What are your kids names?" Jessica asked, hoping to distract her a little.

Lucky swallowed. "Baron and Dove."

Jessica raised an eye and didn't have much of a response to that. They were weird names.

There had never been such a strange day for either of them. When they arrived at Jessica's town house Lucky stared in awe before she was ushered inside. The kids were cleaned and fed before they were set down on Jessica's bed to sleep and Lucky finally got to take care of her wounded thigh. When she mentioned that it was self-inflicted Jessica refused to leave her alone until she got the whole story.

Lucky learned that the Far side was the place of little magic and Jessica learned that a place of magic existed. The two were at a standstill but it ended with Jessica offering Lucky the guestroom.

With the kids father gone Jessica took it upon herself to be auntie and she had her work cut out for her when she realized she'd have three students to teach the way of the world. The kids would grow into it but every little thing astounded Lucky. Technology was something she'd never heard of let alone seen.

Lucky became the house keeper, knowing there was little else she could do to help repay Jessica's kindness and it was only really safe to use magic at home. That was the hardest new rule to teach the twins.

After a few months she would actually venture out on her own, and to help Jessica pay bills she took a stroll around the block, offering her house keeping skills to anyone down the street who could afford to pay her a little.

It was hard and stressful, but Jessica was a kind friend, and she learned quickly to love her niece and nephew who she taught a barrage of strange skills. Life went on. It became a little easier and not too scary.

All that had prepared Jessica when she fell hard for a man she'd come across accidentally. One with twin boys of his own with markings just like Lucky's twins. When Dusk and Lucky met again after eight years it was a momentous occasion that was only over shadowed by the day he proposed to Jessica and they all became a full-fledged family, one that somehow managed to acquire a larger home.

The day Baron came home in a panic, telling her a man had disappeared with Dove in a green and yellow light she felt her world shatter. She should have hidden the lantern from him. Should have talked to him before he left but she couldn't. That world still scared her, and now both of her babies would be hunted down.

She stood out the window, watching the yard in front of their new home that they shared with Jessica and Dusk as if something would happen. The sky was gray and rain pelted the glass loudly. She'd hardly eaten or slept in a month and she remained in a ghostly pale complexion.

"They'll come back." Jessica said from the door way. "Baron will bring Dove home. You'll see."

"It's not their world. They don't know it. I should have been the one to go." She whispered, sounding pained. "It's been so long. I can't handle another week of this."

"Oh Lu." Jessica said softly, walking in to rub her shoulder, "They'll be okay."

"They'll be okay, tía Lucky." Storm repeated, coming in with his brother right behind. Both had their fathers darkly tanned skinned, but spoke with an accent they'd picked up in the last two years in school. Both had an incredible ear for languages.

"We'll find them somehow." Thorn nodded, both more than a little peeved at being left behind. "They'll come home."

"I pray… " she muttered.

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p> 


	14. Twins

We interrupt this hiatus for a special announcement.

A chapter. Enjoy.

Thanks **Lunar D. Hayase** for all the fantastic encouragement.

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><p>Dove woke up with bleary eyes and a warm cocoon surrounding her. It was nice to wake up so cozy and she made a groggy mental note to get dozens of pillows to throw on her bed when she got home. It was fantastic, and good on her aching joints.<p>

Breathing softly she stretched, almost completely forgetting she was in enemy territory. When she tried to roll over she was met with a heavy arm around her waist weighting her down, one that shouldn't have been there. Her eyes widened, a blush consuming her when she realized exactly what had happened. She'd fallen asleep next to a predator of a dragon and suddenly she felt the distinct lack of clothing.

"Xander!" She screamed, trying to shove him away.

He groaned loudly and raised himself up only enough to move over her and collapse again, his cheek rubbing against her breast.

"Xander!" she struggled. "Heavy."

"You're fine." he muttered, his voice was rough and he'd obviously been in a sound sleep. He nestled his body into hers and purred contently.

She struggled still, pushing against him in vain. He emitted a soft growl that froze her on the spot. Her mind told her it was a pathetic attempt to warn her into being obedient when he wouldn't hurt her. He still needed her after all.

"That's better." he muttered, running a hand down her bare thigh.

"Why—Why am I naked? Why are you?!"

"You should really keep your voice down." he yawned. "Why are you screaming, _happ_?"

Dove made a frustrated sound and learned very quickly that wiggling against him at the moment was a bad idea. "Naked? Why?"

"I don't like sleeping with clothes on." he mused, a small smile curving at his lips as his amusement set in. "Animals shouldn't wear clothes."

"Xander." She pushed at his bare shoulders. "Get off me."

"Mm mm. Sleeping." he mumbled. "Do you always wake up so early?"

"I kinda doubt it early." she sighed, trying not to move. It was hard enough for her with Xander's probing hands. She should have left him sleeping. She tried to move out from under him again but he wouldn't budge from his spot on top of her. He was like a brick wall that would not be moved before he felt like it.

He trailed his tongue across her collar bone and purred from the taste. "You are tempting, _happ._ Even so early in the morning."

He leaned up to hover over her and grinned wide. "I can't imagine why you're so embarrassed. After the last day we've spent?"

Dove's blush spread quickly and stretched down to her chest. It hadn't been long since she'd graduated and it had been over a year since she had a boyfriend. A year, and she'd never been in a situation like this. It would give her poor mother a heart attack, and her brother more than likely would have caused a scene. Her aunt would have been the only one to hand her a condom and wish her the best of luck.

"Are they prude's on the Far side?" Xander grinned, "Oh that must be it. I haven't had a shy meal in ages, even considering which we're virgins."

"What have you done with my clothes?" she stared.

With a martyred sigh he rolled off of her in all his naked glory, not showing a hint of modesty whatsoever. "I tossed them somewhere."

Dove scrambled up quickly and grabbed her clothes before running into the bathroom with his amused laughter following her. He'd actually undressed her. He had no sense of personal boundaries whatsoever.

She stayed in there longer than what was probably necessary but she needed time for her blush to settle and her heart rate to go back to normal. He was more than likely still waiting for her, laughing at her.

Coming out slowly she peeked out into the room; he hadn't moved at all. Laying face up, breathing slowly, his eyes were only half-open, he could have fallen asleep at any moment. The look was almost enough to send her back into the bathroom.

"So that Prince only brings his woman here at night, right?" she asked, walking out. Immediately shifting subjects. "I kinda wanna have a look around to see if all the rooms are the same."

"That's probably not a good idea." he mused, yawning slowly. "But do what you want. Just be quiet."

Dove raised an eye. "Seriously."

"I'm not your caretaker." He shrugged, rolling over.

She stared at him and mimicked his shrug before slipping out into the hall. She had almost expected him to scold her or stop her. He wasn't exactly a white Knight sort of man.

The corridor was longer then she remembered but she was starved and being carried at the time. There we're three other doors that matched the one she'd come out of and she was disappointed to see the rooms were all identically to that one too.

"Well shit. What's the point to empty rooms?" she muttered softly, creeping around silently to see just how big and empty this section of the castle really was. What was the point of an empty tower?

She didn't have a huge house at home but it was plenty big enough for all seven members of her family. She couldn't imagine having so much wasted space around. It would drive her insane. So what if they were magic rooms? What good were they? Did they ever have so many guests. She cringed. Who would want that many guests?

"Shit." she shook her head, after peaking in another room. "What a waste of space."

"Think so?"

Dove tensed, it not being the voice she hoped it was or even one she recognized right off. She spun around quickly and felt her stomach sink instantly. Not a voice she could recall right off but the face was another story.

"Well what have we here?" Jester smirked, moving closer to her and grabbing her chin. Of all the Princes she could have run into, it had to be this one. "Oh yes. I do remember those soft green eyes. Everyone's looking for you, you know."

Dove frowned, sliding along the wall as if she could slip away but he stayed in front of her as she moved.

"Well, Dove? Shall I call my pap and see what he'd like to do with you? He was overly put out to learn you were missing." Jester tsked as if he were scolding a child. It was completely degrading.

"Seems to me you would have already had that been what you had in mind." Dove muttered.

He smiled wide. "That accent of yours is certainly becoming. You know I've thought so from the first time seeing you."

"That supposed to make me feel warm and fuzzy?" she muttered.

"I don't see why it wouldn't." he mused, stepping closer. "I could call for pap but he tends to get in the way in certain areas. I'd much rather keep you a secret here."

Dove raised an eye, already knowing what he was implying but if using stupid as a defense worked then she'd try it, that's for sure. "Secret?"

"Mm." He purred, leaning closer. "You see it's a rare day indeed pap comes to this particular wing. You see, it's mine. I keep it for personal engagements and he wants no part of that. He'd never think to look for you here."

"I'm supposed to trust that you would hide me here?" Dove stared at him, feeling entirely uncomfortable with him in her face.

He smiled. "With a little compensation, I dare say we could work something out."

Dove frowned. Was everyone going to try to make a deal with her where sex was the outcome and compromise on her part? No way in hell. He didn't have half the appeal of a moody dragon. She glared; annoyed that he'd backed her up against the wall.

She looked up when she heard a faint gasp and even Jester glanced up at the maid girl who was red in the face from embarrassment.

"Seems I won't be in need of your services today, _pax`xpa wavyir`x_." Jester smiled sweetly, staring down at Blossom and Dove couldn't tell if the words were an endearment or something more sinister.

"Yes, Reece Jester." She said softly, bowing in half before turning to leave. The second her back was to them, Jester's attention went back to Dove.

"That will more than likely be the only interruption we'll have." He muttered.

Dove scowled. "Oh I dare say I wouldn't mind other interruptions."

"Really, did you find your time in the cells below so alluring? You must tell me what about them fascinated you so. I'm sure I could recreate some of it for you."

She heard the threat clear as day and swallowed nervously. She knew how these rooms worked, they were stocked beforehand and using your own magic you could pull any of those things into room. That of course didn't include the things he could pull out of thin air on his own. There was no telling what he had really stocked his personal rooms with. She really had no intention of finding out either.

"Perhaps you should spend a little time down there and figure it out for yourself." she commented, flattening out against the wall.

He made a face that most would consider cute and smiled at her. "That seems a little cold-hearted, my dear convict. Do you treat all whom court you this way?"

"Is that what this is?" she raised an eye. "You need lessons, I know some fourteen year olds that could help you out."

His eyes sparkled brightly. "Lessons, is it? Do you think you're qualified to give them to me?"

"For a fee?"

He laughed, "Your fee would be my not turning you in and sending you back down to the cells to waste away. It would truly be a shame."

"Bastard." she muttered under her breath.

His hand found her waist and had her pinned back to the wall. "Not that I don't find this little chat entertaining but I do think it would be a better idea for us to take this someplace more private."

"More private then your own deserted wing?" she raised an eye, trying to think of a way to slip away or at the very least, distract him.

Jester grinned. "You rather I take you in the hall? Interesting concept."

"Well to be honest I'd rather you'd let me go. I think I've been held prisoner long enough for one lifetime and I'm pretty much over it." She hated the fact that she was backed into a corner. Her only defense being a lazy dragon who didn't know she needed him.

"Hmm...I think I like your last idea better." He said instead, raking his gaze over her slowly enough that a shiver went down her spine.

Dove scowled, trying to hide the swell of fear he forced into her. "You can like it all you want. It won't get you anywhere."

Jester smirked, smirking as he tugged at the front of her shirt, his fingers brushing between her breasts. "The more I think about it, the more I'm deciding I don't care."

She reached out to grab his wrist. "I went to school with guys scarier then you. I'm not one of those girls you bring here."

"I think you're bluffing." he grabbed her arm and pinned it back against the wall suddenly. He grinned wide as his free hand rubbed between her breasts roughly before grasping one to tease. "I think you'll give in just like all the rest so make it easier on yourself."

Reflexively her knee shot up, hitting him in the stomach. She barely had the time to notice his touch was nothing like Xander's before she bolted down the hall. Feeling a tremor under her skin.

Jester gritted his teeth and nearly snarled as he gripped the wall where she'd been. It was only a second before he was hollering "Guard!"

"Shit!" She hissed, in the heat of the moment she'd forgotten she needed to keep her presence hidden, "That was a way bad move."

"Guard!" he yelled again. "There's a fucking cripple in my chambers!"

"Is that all you've got in your chambers?" Xander asked darkly as he emerged from the room to glower at the Prince and the guard who was running from the other end. "Perhaps you didn't look thoroughly enough."

Jester looked up and his eyes widened with realization, making Xander grin, canines showing. He looked to the guard as he forced himself upright, "Quit dragging your feet and kill the beast!"

"How do you propose I so that." The Guard muttered timidly, holding his sword awkwardly as fear of the dragon set in.

"Loving you at this moment." Dove muttered to herself, skidding to a stop behind the dragon. She watched Jester back up in fear and the guard practically trembled. The only other one around was a maid timidly poking her head out of one of the rooms.

A part of her would like to think Xander had come to her recuse but odds were good he was protecting his sacrifice.

She clenched her hands into fists and paused, standing up right when she felt a familiar presence wash over her. It was coming closer. With that, came relief.

Xander glanced at her curiously before shrugging off whatever he'd been thinking and looking back to his prey. "Good luck with that." He mused in a cynically playful manner to the guard as he stalked closer. At the last minute they both got the sense to run but it was far too late and before long Xander was ripping them apart, enjoying his kill in more than one way.

"Give a girl a warning!" Dove yelled, clamping her hands over her ears and shutting her eyes tight. When they were down in the cells she'd gotten sick just from the sounds. She could have blamed it on her weak stomach but didn't want to take the chance.

Xander didn't respond. She wasn't his concern at the moment, food was.

Dove looked up at Blossom, knowing the girl was the one to fetch the dragon for her. She too was holding her ears and pointedly looking at the floor. "Thank you." The girl nodded, sliding back into the room, looking pale.

Power surged and pounded against her chest, a familiar power that made her move. Dove walked past the maid, her feet speeding up as she finally felt at him. The other half of her powers was close and she was getting pulled towards it like a magnet. It felt as frantic as she felt herself. "Hurry up, Xander." she muttered, having no intention of stopping but knowing he'd get irritated if she wandered off on her own again. She ran down the hall.

Arizona was leading Baron through a narrow hallway at the end of which, a spiral stair case was visible. She didn't know what floor they were on but the servants had access to them all with these stairs. Unfortunately they were full of servants.

Baron grabbed her wrist, leading her with him this time as if he knew exactly where he was going. "No stopping. No slowing down. I highly doubt anyone around here that sees us is going to say anything."

"And if they do they'll probably have the wrong assumption about this." She mused casually to calm her own nerves.

"I'm fine with it either way," he said, taking the stairs two at a time. He spared her a grin and was somehow able to navigate where he was going. It wasn't long before they could both feel the old magic that only a dragon could possess but his joint magic was stronger to him. It awoke the magic in his blood.

Arizona was on edge, mostly by the feel of a dragon so close but it didn't make her feel any better to think that someone was bound to question the sudden swirl of magic in that particular level. "At least we're in a floor of lesser use...not sure I want to be here though." She commented as she followed after him, keeping his pace so he wouldn't drag her.

Baron released her, swiftly leaving the stairs and heading straight for the dragons power but seconds after he turned down the corridor he crashed into a girl and had his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Dove." he muttered, one arm hugging her tightly and his marked arm clasped fingers with hers. The marks on their arms glowed for a moment before returning to normal. Pulsing in response to one another.

"You came..." Dove said, choking back her cries and she leaned into him.

Arizona ran to catch him but stopped abruptly when she saw the two. Two fully grown twins. Their magic was thick in the air, nearly enough to make her shudder.

"Of course I came you...stupid." Baron muttered, stroking her hair. "I've been looking for you since the day you were taken away."

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, resting her head on his shoulder but he pulled her away just as quickly to examine her. Being clean was an upside but she was still covered in bruises and cuts.

He frowned hard, looking up from her to Xander who was finished his meal, then back to her. "You okay?"

"Just knocked around." she promised.

There was a pause as they stared at each other. More being said in that silence then in words. "Don't lie to me. I don't like it." Baron said softly, giving her a scolding look he could only pull off when things were serious. "You okay?"

Dove looked up at him and smiled tiredly. "I feel like shit but I'm okay now. I'll be okay."

He frowned still but liked that answer better and pulled her back to hug.

"Together at last. Finish it later." Xander commented, "Now would be time to make our escape."

"Why are you traveling with a dragon?" Arizona asked suddenly, looking Xander over skeptically.

"Not exactly what I pictured when I think dragon." Baron mused, looking at him.

"He's not so bad." Dove shrugged. "We've come to an agreement of sorts. Part of that is getting the hell out of here and he just ate a Prince for me so that really earned him points."

"Yay. He ate a Prince, now how about the freaking King." Baron muttered. "I'll help and everything."

"You made a deal with a dragon?" Arizona stared at her, clearly thinking the girl was a lunatic. "Was letting you live at the end of it part of that deal?"

"Ouch, starting to sound as though you don't trust me." Xander looked Arizona over. Concerned, he was not. "Maybe you shouldn't, hunter, but she will be fine so long as she holds up her end."

"You may intimidate me but that's not to say I won't take your head off." Arizona stared at him, "I was merely asking a question on the specifics of the agreement."

"Who's she?" Dove raised an eye, tilting her gaze back to her brothers.

"You're making deals with dragons and your questioning my judgment on people to help me rescue you? Someone needs a nap." Baron smiled, sighing in relief. "But really, let's get out of here."

"Come." Arizona turned, "We'll leave the way we came. Claw might not say anything. Hates this family as much as we do. We might be able to convince him."

"You expect to leave a witness to point them in the right direction?" Xander asked despite his following.

"Unless he is capable of coming with us. You will not harm him dragon." Arizona glanced back.

"You know…I really don't need a guide." He stared at her with a malicious gleam in his eye.

"If we're over five years old I'm not gonna tolerate any bickering." Dove demanded, looking between the dragon she was used to and he girl she'd never met. "My head is killing me so we escape and allow me to find a bed."

"Figured most of the servants won't give a damn about us anyway." Baron continued, following Arizona. "We get out and they we contemplate what to do about these assholes. Especially since apparently every guard in this place is out looking for you two."

"Your twin may be present but that does not make it smart for you to try commanding things of me." Xander looked at Dove but there was amusement on his features.

"Then sleeping with you gets me nowhere." Dove said frustratingly, smirking at him.

Baron stared at her, almost stumbling in his walking. "Hey, that falls under that list of shit I don't need to know about, okay?"

Dove nodded. "That's right; you and I are not that close."

"Perhaps on the Far side it's different, but no that was not the intent of our deal." Xander grinned.

Arizona rolled her eyes, hurrying down the steps. She couldn't fathom how the other three could talk to quickly and so casually in such a distressing moment.

Dove flipped the dragon off, and Baron teasingly grabbed her hand. "Things I don't need to know about." he repeated.

"Shut up. I'm tired and I hurt okay?" Dove sighed. She'd gotten a bath and one night of decent sleep but she was still sore and banged up from her month of captivity.

"Can you move faster or does one of them need to pick you up?" Arizona asked as she navigated them through the hall ways.

"One of them carrying me will slow us down regardless." Dove muttered.

"The dragon should be able to do it and if he can't then I will" Arizona rolled her eyes, "Can you move faster or not because I'm sensing guards."

"Not too many" Xander shrugged.

"Setting off alarms is stupid when not all of your team is composed of fighters." Arizona shook her head. "They're wondering around outside looking for you two. Last thing we need is them storming the _Sipigo_."

"The man breathes fire. I think we'll be okay." Dove said, not sure why she felt the sudden urge to defend the dragon.

"One dragon may be able to take out a two hundred of the Raaie's guard but he cannot do it and protect you and neither can I and I'll be damned if I just involved myself and my family for you both to die anyway." Arizona said, her voice low but all the more serious as she shot her a severe look before looking to Baron, "We are done debating. Can you run and can you do it quietly."

"Hells." Xander cursed, lifting Dove up suddenly into his arms, she squirming he let her move onto his back.

"Thank you" Arizona shook her head "Not that damned hard."

"One more word hunter and I'll string you up for the guards to play with." Xander growled.

Baron smiled faintly, still buzzed from being back in his sister's presence. "So on that note, I intend to finally kick some ass and make a spectacle of myself..."

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><p>Woo, thanks for reading ^_^<p>

**whirlingwings-** She will! Thanks for reading

** J Luc Pitard-** Thank you so much for the kind words! story and a game right? ...maybe i'm just easily entertained.

**Lunar D. Hayase-** This update is for you! ^_^ thanks for your amazing reviews.

**katred48**- thanks for reading!


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